Somerville misty-eyed on return to field of dreams

Will Somerville clearly recalls the day that the prospect of playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground as a professional spin-bowler brought him to tears.

It was early in the tragedy tinged summer of 2014-15, and Somerville – the Wellington-born chartered accountant who was living in Sydney with his Australian wife – was informed by New South Wales' selectors that he would be filling in for the unavailable Nathan Lyon in the Blues' Sheffield Shield team.

It represented the third first-class outing for the then 30-year-old and, under the protocols that dictate the automatic entitlement to playing contracts, Somerville therefore met the criteria to become a professional player.

It was realisation of a dream he believed had eluded him given his age and his relocation to an adopted homeland, and the significance of that moment dawned heavily upon him as he sat in his car outside the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It's the same ground where he might feasibly make his fourth Test appearance, albeit for the land of his birth, in the third Domain Series Test match against Australia starting on Friday.

"I was just in tears in the car park, realising I was going to be a cricketer," Somerville recalled today, upon returning to the SCG as a late addition to New Zealand's Test squad.

“I had a bit of success, and loved playing for New South Wales, the start of my professional career at 30. 

"I got picked for the Blues and played a few games for the Sixers (in the KFC Big Bash League).

"The SCG is a wonderful place to do that, and I was grateful for the opportunity.

“It’s pretty special to be back where my kids were born. 

"My mother and father-in-law live down the road in Coogee, and the kids are staying there for the week. 

"It's very special, for sure."

Having been summoned from NZ's domestic Super Smash T20 competition to take the place of injured seam bowler Trent Boult, Somerville remains unsure if he'll be included in the starting XI after previously playing Tests in the UAE (2018) and Sri Lanka (last year).

The now 35-year-old claims he only examined the Test pitch at his former home ground "for about two seconds" ahead of the Black Caps training runs this morning.

But Australia coach Justin Langer indicated he expects the track to take turn as the Test match progresses, and there is a view that Somerville might be added at the expense of incumbent spinner Mitchell Santner who has struggled for wickets and consistency.

Regardless of whether he receives the nod or not, Somerville was the subject of praise from his ex-teammate Lyon whose monopoly on a place in the NSW Shield team (when national commitments permitted) was a key reason for Somerville's return to his homeland in 2018.

"I've had a fair amount to do with him being part of the same squad for three, four years," Lyon told The Unplayable Podcast. 

"He's a cracking fella, a very hard-working fella. 

"He gets some really good bounce on the ball, we've done some decent amount of work together when we were both here playing for NSW.  

"It's great to see Will back in the Black Caps line-up and it's going to be exciting to play against him."

Somerville, who has become known to his NZ teammates as 'Dad' given his seniority in age if not international experience, is similarly effusive about Lyon and his tenure with New South Wales.

He admitted to spending more time at training than on the park, due to the presence of Australia's most successful Test off-spinner as well as occasional international Steve O'Keefe in the Blues' line-up and claimed 48 wickets at an average of 25.29 in his 12 matches for NSW.

But he worked closely with those two finger spinners as well as former Australia Test bowler Beau Casson, who was the Blues' spin-bowling coach at the time, and aimed to learn as much as he could about the off-spin craft from Lyon.

"He’s got a very pure action, and it’s nice to watch," Somerville said of the man who might be his spin-bowling rival in the third Test.

"I learned from those guys.

"I also spent a bit of time with (former Australia spinner) Greg Matthews who gives a different perspective on things – a few really good words that stick in my mind.

“I was just trying to get better for NSW and chip in.

"It’s hard enough getting into that side, they were always very strong.

"I was very proud to receive my baggy blue, that was a dream in itself and something I’m proud of.

“But I always wanted to play for New Zealand as well, in the back of my mind growing up in Wellington and I’ve always been an All Blacks fan."

After being restricted to a solitary game for NSW in 2017-18 due to lack of opportunities and having turned 33, he jumped at the chance to return home when offered a place as premier spinner for Auckland's red and white-ball teams.

Then, just a couple of games into his re-booted career across the Tasman, Somerville was included in New Zealand's starting XI for the third Test of their 2018 series against Pakistan in the UAE.

He claimed seven wickets on debut, and followed up by playing both Tests on NZ's tour to Sri Lanka last year which he finished with seven wickets at 32.14 in a series that ended 1-1.

Somerville was overlooked for Santner in the Black Caps' subsequent two-Test campaign against England late last year, but admitted to having kept an eye on the Australia tour and has maintained his red-ball workloads at home despite being in the midst of the domestic T20 competition.

"I was hoping to go on the (Australia) tour and two days ago I got the call when I was playing Twenty20 cricket for Auckland," Somerville said at the SCG today.

"I’m pinching myself that I’m here.

"I’ve played here before, so it’s familiar surroundings.

"But it’s Test cricket, a different kettle of fish and it’s going to be tough."

Domain Test Series v New Zealand

Australia squad: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson

New Zealand: Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson (c)

First Test: Australia won by 296 runs in Perth

Second Test: Australia won by 247 runs

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (Seven, Fox & Kayo)