TORONTO Workers firebrand Andrew Somerville plans to keep it simple when he takes the new ball for the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) cricket squad on its tour of the United Kingdom.
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Somerville, 18, of Doyalson, will depart with the NSW CHS squad on June 30 for the tour that will start in London.
He’ll be following in the footsteps of former Australian Test cricketers such as Michael Clarke, Mark Taylor, Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh who toured with NSW CHS teams as teenagers.
“There are nine games scheduled for us. It’s a 24-day tour and I think we’re playing cricket on 13 or 14 of those days,” Somerville said.
“I just want to be a big part of the team, to contribute in my role as an opening bowler, to take wickets and keep low totals for our batsmen to chase.”
He’s also looking forward to sightseeing that will take in three Test-playing grounds, including Lord’s, as well as Wimbledon and Silverstone.
The Hunter Sports High School student said he was excited at the prospect of playing in English conditions.
“I think there will be slower decks, definitely, so we’ll have to pitch the ball up fuller. And it will swing a bit more because we’re playing with the Duke ball, so the ability to adapt to those changes will be massive,” he said.
One thing Somerville said he won’t change in the UK is his attitude.
“I think my aggression helps a bit. That and bowling straight lines that make the batsmen play the whole time brings me into wicket contention,” he said.
It was a formula that worked for Somerville in the Toronto Workers first grade team which, against the odds, reached the semi-finals of the Newcastle District Cricket Association comp last season.
Somerville captured 30 wickets at an average of 18, from the 15 games he contested for the Kookaburras. Injury prevented him from playing a handful of matches and adding to that tally.
“It was my first season out of the NSW Under 17 Academy, so my goal was to take at least 25 wickets or more.”