Annabel Sutherland showed why she’s among the best allrounders in the game with a stellar display on day one
Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as Australia’s premier allrounder on day one at the WACA Ground, shouldering a heavy bowling load in scorching heat to secure her best figures in the longest format.
Then, needing to steer Australia through a difficult final 40 minutes of play under lights, the Victorian was the picture of intense focus to reach stumps on 20 not out.
It was fitting that Sutherland walked from the field at the end of the day unbeaten alongside Ellyse Perry, herself on 43no, who for so long carried the mantle as the leading all-round force in the Australian team.
With Perry, 35, playing this Test against India as a specialist batter after overcoming a quad injury to be named in Australia’s XI, it was Sutherland who carried the greatest bowling load on day one, sending down 17 overs – more than a quarter of the 62.4 faced by India – for a career-best 4-46.
Had it not been for a handful of dropped catches, she may have secured her first Test five-wicket haul.
As the mercury topped 37C in Perth, Sutherland’s work rate didn’t drop in her later spells, returning after the dinner break with a final five-over burst of short-pitched bowling that helped clean up India’s tail.
Her remaining 12 overs were delivered in the peak heat of the day, and accounted for the key wickets of Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal and Deepti Sharma.
Only once has Sutherland bowled more overs in a Test innings, the 21 she sent down against England in a far milder Canberra in early 2022.
Speaking at the end of the day’s play, India batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who top-scored for the tourists with 52, described Sutherland’s bowling as “challenging”.
“I’ve played at the WACA before, but today was a bit of a spongy wicket … plus Sutherland was bowling really well,” Rodrigues said.
“She was getting the ball to move both ways, so that was challenging.
“She’s one of the best allrounders going around. Watching her so closely (at Delhi Capitals), she’s very professional with her work.
“She’s always well prepared, and just knows her plans, very sorted, very calm head on her shoulders … it’s always fun to play against her.”
Alongside Sutherland, 19-year-old debutant Lucy Hamilton was Australia’s other standout with the ball.
The Queensland left-armer got the key wicket of Smriti Mandhana in her first over and finished with figures of 3-31 from her 13 overs.
When she was making her way as an allrounder at under-age level, Hamilton said Sutherland was the blueprint.
“She’s definitely the high-performing athlete that everyone dreams to be,” she said of Sutherland.
“Knowing that she does both with bat and ball and under the composure and the skill level she does, it’s a real testament to her.
“Just being a part of the environment and being on the field, watching her do her a thing, was really cool.”
NRMA Insurance Australia v India Multi-Format Series
Australia lead the multi-format series 8-4
February 15: First T20: India won by 21 runs (DLS)
February 19: Second T20: Australia won by 19 runs
February 21: Third T20: India won by 17 runs
February 24: First ODI: Australia won by six wickets
February 27: Second ODI: Australia won by five wickets
March 1: Third ODI: Australia won by 185 runs
Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Maitlan Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Rachel Trenaman, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare
March 6-9: Test match, WACA Ground, 4:20pm AEDT (D/N)
