Picture by YCCC. Will Sutherland has been signed to play the entire Vitality Blast group stage and two County Championship matches in June.
“I just want to play in winning teams.” Yorkshire’s new overseas signing Will Sutherland has one thing on his mind as he prepares to debut in the Vitality Blast against Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Headingley tomorrow evening (6.30pm).
Dynamic Australian all-rounder Sutherland has settled in nicely to his new surroundings ahead of his first taste of county cricket, and he will be joined by fellow overseas Will, the New Zealand fast bowler O’Rourke, for the first the first half of the campaign.
Sutherland has been with the county since the middle of last week, getting himself prepared for availability through the entire North Group phase alongside two matches in the Rothesay County Championship late next month.
Sutherland is Victoria’s state captain, while he also skippers Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash. Tomorrow, he will play under new Blast captain Dawid Malan.
The 25-year-old played two one-day internationals for Australia at the start of last year, and he’s keen for more of that. However, he knows where his full focus must lie.
“Deep down, it’s obviously something you dream about and think about,” said the Melburnian.
Picture by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images. Will Sutherland is captain of the Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash.
“But, at the same time, I think I always play my best cricket when I’m absorbed in the team that I’m playing for and just trying to help them get wins.
“And if that opportunity has come up from that, then so be it. If it doesn’t, it’s not to be. I just want to play in winning teams.
“Winning isn’t everything, but it makes it a lot better and more enjoyable.
“There’s nothing better than winning a game and having a beer to celebrate with the boys. I’m excited to do that, hopefully, a lot over the next few months.”
Talking of winning teams, Sutherland has played 63 career T20 matches – 630 runs with two fifties and 36 wickets with a best of 3-14 – and he debuted in December 2018 for the Renegades. They went on to win the BBL that season.
A few years on, he has just had a near miss captaining Victoria in the One-Day Cup against South Australia.
Picture by Money Sharma/Getty Images. Yorkshire are hoping Will O’Rourke is ready to debut against Northamptonshire following IPL duty with Lucknow Super Giants.
“I just want it to be Friday already,” he continued. “I’m super-excited, and hopefully the boys can get off to a hot start.
“I’ve had a bit of time to get to know the group, and they’ve been very welcoming. It was nice to watch the county game (Nottinghamshire), get to know the boys and see how they go about it.
“I’m not coming off heaps of cricket. We finished mid-March (with Victoria), so it’s been nice for me to get outside. Ten days has definitely been the right amount of time for me to get ready.”
Sutherland has long since worked with Yorkshire’s Victorian bowling coach Mick Lewis, while head coach Anthony McGrath has previously spent time with the Renegades in the Big Bash.
“I’ve worked with Mick for a long time,” he said. “He’s definitely one of the best bowling coaches I’ve played under. And I’ve known Mags for a few years as well. He came out to the Renegades when he was with Essex.
“Those two work really well together, and they create a really nice relaxed environment. I’m loving that so far.”
Picture by Matt King/Getty Images. Will Sutherland bowling for Australia early last year.
Yorkshire fans will get to see a dynamic but versatile cricketer during the next couple of months. Watch out in the crowd if the tall right-hander gets going with the bat, that’s for sure.
“I pride myself on being a bit adaptable, I guess,” he said. “I can come in anywhere from like the 13th over onwards, whatever’s sort of needed for the team.
“And, yeah, I’ve done a bit of everything for the Renegades with the ball, whether it’s new ball, through the middle or at the death.
“I’m not too picky on what my role is, whatever sort of fits in with the team. I just want to contribute to some good team success over the next couple of months.”
This stint will hopefully be third time lucky for Sutherland in county cricket. He was previously signed by McGrath at Essex in 2023 and by Somerset last season but had to pull out having ended his home summer with stress fractures.
“There’s been a few false starts,” he reflected. “Playing county cricket is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Picture by Vaughn Ridley/SWPix.com. Darren Lehman and Anthony McGrath bat for Yorkshire in 2006. They will be in opposition as coaches tomorrow evening.
“Australian cricketers talk very highly of the cricket over here and the amount of fun they have and the learnings as well. I was quite frustrated the last couple of years, but it’s good to be over here now, and I feel like I’ve come to a great place.
“Hopefully it’s full steam ahead from here.”
Will is going to be the second Sutherland to grace Headingley, with his younger sister Annabel representing the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred last summer. Both are all-action all-rounders, with Annabel having played 91 times across the formats for Australia.
Speaking as he surveyed the ground at Headingley, he added: “She hit a few big sixes out over the sight-screen. So, hopefully, I can follow in her shoes and do the same.
“She loved it here, and no doubt I’ll have a great experience as well.”
Two-time champions Northamptonshire (2013 and 2016) arrive at Headingley with a couple of familiar faces at the helm. Former Yorkshire T20 captain David Willey is their skipper, while ex-White Rose overseas favourite Darren Lehmann is their new coach, having joined over the winter as John Sadler’s replacement.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Dawid Malan captains Yorkshire for the first time as an appointed skipper.
Of course, Sadler now on the Yorkshire coach staff as batting coach.
Northamptonshire recently signed Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope to an overseas deal.
They finished second in the North last year, with nine wins but were beaten in the quarter-finals by Somerset.
Yorkshire beat the Steelbacks in the only meeting between the two in 2024, by 29 runs defending 187 at the start of June.
There is a change in the points system for this season’s Blast, designed to ensure both the men’s and the women’s competitions have more symmetry. Four points instead of two will be on offer for a win, while two points instead of one will be awarded for a tie.
