Picture by Paul Kane/Getty Images. Foes but soon to be friends – Will Sutherland and Sam Whiteman together at the toss ahead of last month’s Sheffield Shield clash between Victoria and Western Australia at the WACA in Perth. They will line up alongside each other for Yorkshire this summer. Sutherland scored a career best 101 not out and claimed four wickets in a victory over WA.
Gavin Hamilton says all-rounder Will Sutherland is “just a perfect overseas for us” after sealing the Australian’s return to Yorkshire in 2026.
Sutherland, aged 26, has signed on again at Headingley following a mid-summer spell last year.
The state and Big Bash captain will represent the White Rose in both the Vitality Blast – he’s available for its entirety – and also two Rothesay County Championship matches.
Those are the June clashes – rounds seven and eight – with Warwickshire at Scarborough and Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel County Ground, Grace Road.
In 12 Blast appearances last summer, Sutherland contributed 10 wickets with his seamers added to 208 runs in the middle order, including a half-century on debut. He also added four wickets in the Championship.
“Will is everything that we want in our dressing room,” said Hamilton, Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket and a former all-rounder himself.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Gavin Hamilton is delighted with the signing of Will Sutherland.
“He’s a young lad with a really old head on his shoulders, and his influence and the way he works, the way he practices, he’s just a perfect overseas for us.
“He loved it here last year. He loved the lads, and they loved him.
“He’s just spent some time with a lot of them over in Melbourne on our training camp.”
Sutherland becomes Yorkshire’s seventh winter signing, following Moeen Ali, Jhye Richardson, AJ Tye, Naveen-ul-Haq, Logan van Beek and Sam Whiteman.
He is the fourth overseas recruit, following Richardson, Naveen and van Beek.
“It was a pretty easy conversation to have with Will,” continued Hamilton. “We had every intention of getting him back, but we just needed to align things with the different competitions.
Picture by Steve Bell/Getty Images. Will Sutherland at the crease for Victoria last week.
“He will openly admit himself that his stats and performances last year weren’t at the top level of what he can produce, but he will be better for the experience and returns with a point to prove.
“He covers all bases. He’s a player who bats, bowls and is excellent in the field.
“It was a no-brainer for us, and we can’t wait to have him back.”
Sutherland is currently preparing to lead Victoria in a home Sheffield Shield final at the end of this month. Their opponents will be decided this weekend.
So, as Yorkshire ramp up preparations for the start of the new summer early next month, they will have one eye on what Sutherland and Victoria are doing over on the other side of the world.
“It’s absolutely superb for him that he gets that opportunity,” added Hamilton. “He’s had a good red-ball summer over there. He scored a century only a couple of weeks ago, and to cap it off with a trophy would be huge. As a young captain, to win a Shield title, it would be a massive step forwards for him.”
