New Zealand offspinner Will Somerville announces retirement
New Zealand off-spinner Will Somerville has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The 37-year-old played three Tests, six ODIs, and three T20Is for New Zealand, taking a total of 14 wickets in his international career.
Somerville made his international debut for New Zealand in the longest format of the game in 2018 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. He had a dream debut, picking up seven wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings. However, he was not able to replicate that success in his subsequent Test matches, picking up only seven more wickets in two more Tests.
Despite his limited opportunities in international cricket, Somerville had a successful domestic career. He played for Auckland and New South Wales in domestic cricket and was a consistent performer for both teams. In his 27 first-class matches, he took 98 wickets at an average of 27.90, with six five-wicket hauls.
In a statement, Somerville said that he was retiring from cricket to focus on his family and career outside of the sport. He thanked his teammates, coaches, and fans for their support throughout his career and said that he would always be proud to have represented New Zealand at the international level.
Somerville’s retirement comes as a blow to New Zealand’s spin-bowling department, which has been relatively weak in recent years. With Mitchell Santner struggling for form and Ajaz Patel yet to cement his place in the team, New Zealand will have to look for other options to fill the void left by Somerville’s retirement.
