She reined her batting in at the start as the WACA conditions demanded, before unleashing boundaries all around the strip to break records in front of her proud parents and awed opponents
Tristan Lavalette16-Feb-2024In the last over before tea on day two, just 10 runs away from a historic Test double-century, Annabel Sutherland was desperate to reach the milestone. With Australia’s first innings lead nearing 450 runs against South Africa at the WACA, she was unsure when her captain Alyssa Healy would declare.Sutherland made her intent clear by smashing seamer Nadine de Klerk for a gorgeous boundary through mid-on off the first ball. Just six runs away, Sutherland then swung wildly across the line aiming to hit over midwicket but did not connect. The crowd of 1300, a figure that had surpassed expectations with history in the air, almost simultaneously groaned.”I was keen to just get it out of the way and played a dodgy shot… tried to hoik one over midwicket. I had to take a bit of a breath,” Sutherland told reporters after play.Related
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She had words of encouragement from batting partner Kim Garth and regained her composure. Sutherland smashed boundaries off the last two balls before tea to become just the 10th player in women’s Test cricket history to score a double-century.”It’s pretty special, probably hasn’t quite sunk in yet what exactly it means to me,” she said. “So nice just to spend the day out there and soak up what a great place it is to bat on the WACA.”Having reached the landmark on her 248th delivery, she had easily smashed the fastest double-ton – the previous record (308 balls) was held by Australian great Karen Rolton. At 22, Sutherland became the youngest batter to reach the feat behind only India’s Mithali Raj.Sutherland was within reach of the world record women’s Test score – 242 by Pakistan’s Kiran Baluch against West Indies in 2004 – but firstly she needed to surpass the Australian highest score of 213 by team-mate Ellyse Perry – a player she has often been compared to.Shortly after tea, unaware of the records in her wake, Sutherland fell agonisingly short on 210 after failing to execute a scoop shot off left-arm spinner Chloe Tryon.”I’m very happy for her to keep that record, she deserves it,” Sutherland said of Perry. “I’ve definitely picked her brains along the way.”The dismissal ended her 256-ball masterpiece, which included 27 fours and two sixes. Sutherland earned a standing ovation from the crowd, including from her parents. James Sutherland, her father, was a long-time former Cricket Australia chief executive.”I just gave him a hug before. I think they’re just super proud and so nice for them to be here,” she said of her parents.
“I’m very happy for her to keep that record, she deserves it. I’ve definitely picked her brains along the way.”Sutherland on not beating Perry’s record for highest women’s Test score by an Australian
With a number of batters in the match undone on a green-tinged surface by driving on the up early in their innings, a cardinal sin at the WACA, Sutherland superbly implemented a disciplined approach.She was extremely watchful early and only scored seven runs off her first 35 balls faced. Once settled, Sutherland unfurled belligerent strokes around the wicket. She confidently counterattacked the second new ball to smash consecutive fours off debutant quick Masabata Klaas – who had torn through Australia’s top order on day one – and registered her second Test century shortly before lunch.”First 20 to 30 balls… the most challenging at the WACA, just getting used to the bounce and the pace,” Sutherland said. “I was thinking about that and felt like I left pretty well early.”It was just about staying sharp, but if the ball was there to hit, keep in good position and go with it.”It continued a superb all-round performance for Sutherland, who had taken 3 for 19 in South Africa’s first innings of 76.Sutherland’s knock earned high praise from her opponents. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that good an innings live,” de Klerk said. “She put bowlers under pressure and was aggressive even when we took the new ball and just took us on.”Spin didn’t work, seam didn’t work and she was just smashing us all around the ground. That was a brilliant innings.”