SEN host Gerard Whateley liked what he saw from Will Sutherland in his international debut in Australia’s win over the West Indies in the second ODI at the SCG.
The Victorian skipper chipped in for 18 runs batting at number nine and with the ball he took 2/28 from eight overs, helping the Aussies restrict the West Indies to 175 as they chased a target of 259.
Whateley thinks the 24-year-old is ‘ready-made’ for top-level cricket and can see his career blossoming from now.
“Will Sutherland to me, he looks a ready-made international cricketer,” Whateley said on SEN Mornings.
“He's got the right temperament and the skills for it. I can see his career blossoming.”
Veteran cricket journalist Robert Craddock also considers Sutherland a quality young option for Australia and can see the Victorian become a white-ball fixture for the Aussies just a handful of years after he chose the sport over a potential AFL career.
“He's a nice robust player,” Craddock said.
“He took the big decision to join cricket when he could have been a potential AFL star.
“Cricket was so worried about that because being James Sutherland’s (former Cricket Australia CEO) son, they probably over-fretted it.
“He's a nice strong personality, the young Victorian captain. I think he'll be a really good white ball player for Australia, but it's so hard for a bowling all-rounder to crack the Test team.”
Craddock believes it’ll be so hard for Sutherland to break into the Test team because of how strong Australia’s front-line bowling attack often is.
While Sutherland took the most wickets in the 2022/23 Sheffield Shield season, he thinks the Victorian is up against earning a baggy green unless his bowling continues to improve to be considered a proper first-choice option.
“This is the challenge for Sean Abbott, who was terrific last night, and Will Sutherland and it’s why Aaron Hardie has a slight advantage over them, he’s a batting all-rounder,” Craddock explained.
“How many bowling all-rounders get in the Test side for Australia? James Faulkner for a couple of seasons was probably one of the best white-ball cricketers in the world and he played one Test because he was always up against a high-quality attack.
“That's the challenge behind Will Sutherland. He's more of a bowler than a batsman at this stage and as Michael Nesser and plenty of guys found out before him … if you're more of a bowler than a batsman in Test cricket, at least it's very hard to crack.
“Michael Neser would have played 50 Tests for New Zealand, but for Australia, you've got to get in ahead of Starc, Hazlewood or Cummins.”
Sutherland will hope to continue his strong form when Australia face the West Indies in the third ODI at Manuka Oval on Tuesday.
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