‘They bounce of each other really well’: Family dynamic driving Annabel Sutherland to greatness

As Annabel Sutherland strode from the MCG after a historic Test innings on Friday with her bat raised to a standing ovation from the stands, her parents James and Heidi watched with pride from the stands of the hallowed ground.

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With the No. 14 of her favourite footy player, the former Geelong captain Joel Selwood, emblazoned on her back, Sutherland carved out a performance every bit as memorable as her idol used to do at the MCG on the biggest of occasions.

Sutherland checked off the accolades on the way to scoring 163 on Friday as she helped Australia to a dominant position in the first Test played at the famous ground since 1949.

The 23-year-old is the first woman to score a Test century at the ground. She is also the seventh Victorian-born player to score more than 150 in a Test at the MCG. And her third century in just six Tests also tied the record for Australian women.

She is a phenomenal, if humble, player.

“Umm, no. I didn’t know any of that,” she said when informed post stumps.

But to secure a century at the MCG, which served as a home away from home when she was a kid as she took in Selwood and his Geelong Cats and the Boxing Day classics at every opportunity, is something to savour, though there is still work to be done this weekend.

“It definitely hasn’t sunk in,” she said.

“It is pretty strange, to be honest, but I think just given the occasion, and I guess being a Victorian as well, it’s pretty cool, and I’m sure I’ll reflect on it over the next few days.”

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Her father James, a former first class cricketer who served as Cricket Australia’s chief executive for an extended period, said he was nervous as his daughter edged towards 100.

“It is a pleasure to be out here watching a women’s Test match and even better to be watching Annabel doing what she loves doing, which is batting,” he told Fox Cricket.

“(I am) certainly nervous and, having played the game, you probably understand that you fail at cricket a lot more than you succeed, especially as a batter. You also know your child and you also know your child’s game and you sometimes can see what’s going on in their head. You can’t do anything about it, but you hope they can keep it together.”

Keeping it together is something that Sutherland certainly did on Friday afternoon as she helped Australia to 5-422 at stumps, giving the hosts a 252-run lead with two days remaining in the Ashes Test that culminates what has been a lopsided series.

Having been promoted to bat at No. 3 due to an injury to Ellyse Perry, she batted with discipline on Thursday night and survived a chance on 29 in the infancy of Friday before excelling. The longer she batted, the more freely the runs flowed in a superb performance.

“I absolutely love batting in Tests. I think you got time to work through those waves of ebbs and flows of the game,” she said.

“And I think just recognising those moments, I think, is something I do pretty well. (I love) trying to grind out those tougher periods and then cash in when you can.”

Sutherland is the middle sibling of three, with her elder brother Will an Australian white-ball representative who also captains Victoria, while younger brother Tom is a talent at golf.

Her mum said on Friday that she believes the fact all three are active in their endeavours has assisted them develop into fine athletes in their respective disciplines.

“I think for each of them, they bounce off each other really well. The age gap and the gender mix, sequence, of it being boy, girl, boy, it has never been a negative in competitiveness,” she said.

“They have always really bounced off each other and inspired each other, in a way, and they talk a lot about a lot of different sports, so there is a genuine interest. They will always have that, which is pretty special.”

Australian great Mike Hussey told foxsports.com.au he is not surprised that Sutherland has been able to learn from her brothers.

His brother David was a fine cricketer who represented Australia in white ball cricket and also excelled with Victoria in state cricket, with Hussey crediting their success as adults to their spirited backyard rivalry as boys.

“I don’t know about everyone, but I saw my brother as the enemy. He was England and I was Australia in the backyard when we were younger. That is where we learned our competitive spirit, fighting against each other. The backyard battles were great,” he said.

“I don’t know what the Sutherland dynamic was (but) they sound like they got on well, and I got on well with Dave as well. But when it was in playing sports, it was opposition, you know.

“They’re obviously a very talented family, and they’re obviously very well brought up as well from a morals and values perspective. And then having each other, with the competition between the siblings as well, I don’t think it can hurt. I think if you put all those ingredients together, you’ve got a pretty good chance, I reckon.”

There is a ring of truth to the assessment, the ascending star of Australian cricket said on Friday night.

“Having two brothers growing up probably sets you up for a pretty competitive household. I think probably as we’ve gotten a little bit older, the way that we’ve sort of been able to support each other (is great),” she said.

“Will obviously plays at the highest level, but Tom, too, I still think, is the most skilled cricketer in the family, but he’s gone down the golf path, which is fine. But I think just the way that we’re able to kind of understand where each other are at.

“I guess having Will, who’s kind of going through his own journey in professional cricket, there’s ups and downs along that line. (But we are) able to lean on each other and speak about the game, but then speak about the off-field stuff as well.

“He’s done a really good job in Victoria with the captaincy work, and he puts a lot of time and effort into that. So (I’ve been) chatting to him a lot about that. And … he goes about it a little bit differently to me. That’s cool, just to hear that perspective.

“But, yes, it is special to have two brothers that care a lot about me and how I’m going.”