Will Somerville (cricketer)

William Edgar Richard Somerville (born 9 August 1984) is a New Zealand former professional cricketer who made his international debut for New Zealand in December 2018. He played domestically for Otago and Auckland and in Australia for New South Wales and Sydney Sixers. He retired from professional cricket in April 2023.[2]

Will Somerville
Personal information
Full name
William Edgar Richard Somerville
Born (1984-08-09) 9 August 1984 (age 40)
Wadestown, Wellington, New Zealand
NicknameDad[1]
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 275)3 December 2018 v Pakistan
Last Test3 December 2021 v India
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2004/05–2007/08Otago
2014/15–2017/18New South Wales
2015/16–2017/18Sydney Sixers
2018/19–2022/23Auckland
Career statistics
Competition Test FC LA T20
Matches 6 53 32 43
Runs scored 115 1,077 332 200
Batting average 14.37 18.56 16.60 25.00
100s/50s 0/0 0/4 0/2 0/0
Top score 40* 60* 59 37*
Balls bowled 1,466 10,991 1,722 833
Wickets 15 161 39 40
Bowling average 48.26 29.98 35.10 27.80
5 wickets in innings 0 4 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0
Best bowling 4/75 8/136 4/48 3/18
Catches/stumpings 0/– 23/– 10/– 7/–
Source: CricInfo, 1 January 2024

Early and domestic career

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Somerville was born in the Wellington suburb of Wadestown. His family moved from New Zealand to Sydney, Australia, when he was nine and he grew up there.[3] He attended Cranbrook School in Sydney's eastern suburbs.[4] He returned to New Zealand to study at the University of Otago. A right-handed batsman and off-spin bowler, he played three matches for [Otago, against Wellington in March 2005 and against Canterbury and Northern Districts in March 2006.[5] He also appeared in several matches for the New Zealand Academy in the 2005–06 season.[6]

After his studies he returned to Sydney to work as a chartered accountant and play cricket for University.[3] He began playing for New South Wales in 2013–14. On 2 January 2016, he made his Twenty20 debut for the Sydney Sixers in the 2015–16 Big Bash League.[7]

Bowling for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield in November 2016, Somerville took 4 for 61 and 5 for 65 in a three-wicket victory over Western Australia and was named player of the match.[8] He was one of the leading bowlers in the Sheffield Shield that season, with 35 wickets at an average of 23.14, including figures of 8 for 136 in the first innings against Queensland.[9] He made his List A debut for New South Wales in the 2017–18 JLT One-Day Cup on 15 October 2017.[10]

In June 2018, he was awarded a contract with Auckland for the 2018–19 season.[11] In September 2018, he was named in the Auckland Aces' squad for the 2018 Abu Dhabi T20 Trophy.[12]

In June 2020, he was offered a contract by Auckland ahead of the 2020–21 domestic cricket season.[13][14] He played his last professional cricket match in April 2023.[2]

International career

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In November 2018, Somerville was added to New Zealand's Test squad for their series against Pakistan.[15] He made his Test debut for New Zealand against Pakistan on 3 December 2018, and took 4/75 and 3/52 in New Zealand's 123-run victory.[16]

Somerville played a total of six Test matches, taking 15 wickets. The four wickets he took on debut remained his best bowling analysis in Test matches.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Back in the Black Caps: Will Somerville plays on in sister's memory". Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c New Zealand offspinner Will Somerville announces retirement, CricInfo, 22 March 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Meet Will Somerville". Retrieved 7 November 2016 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "Will Somerville (2002) to Play in Sheffield Shield". Old Cranbrookians Association. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  5. ^ Will Somerville, CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2024. (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Miscellaneous Matches played by Will Somerville". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Big Bash League, 17th Match: Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers at Perth, Jan 2, 2016". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  8. ^ "New South Wales v Western Australia 2016–17". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Sheffield Shield bowling 2016-17". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  10. ^ "19th match (D/N), JLT One-Day Cup at Sydney, Oct 15 2017". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  11. ^ "Central Districts drop Jesse Ryder from contracts list". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Auckland Aces to face the world in Abu Dhabi". Scoop. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Daryl Mitchell, Jeet Raval and Finn Allen among major domestic movers in New Zealand". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Auckland lose Jeet Raval to Northern Districts, Finn Allen to Wellington in domestic contracts". Stuff. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Uncapped 34-year-old Will Somerville replaces injured Todd Astle in Blackcaps Test squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  16. ^ "3rd Test, New Zealand tour of United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi, Dec 3-7 2018". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
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