Annabel Sutherland heads into next month’s Ashes in red-hot form with the bat, having cemented herself as a genuine allrounder in the Australian XI. 

With three ODI hundreds and two Test tons – including a double – to her name, she already has as many international centuries as Ellyse Perry. 

So prolific has the 23-year-old been, it would be easy to forget it was only 18 months ago that Sutherland announced herself via a breakthrough Test century at Trent Bridge. 

On June 23, 2023, Sutherland walked to the middle at No.8 with her team 6-238 in their first innings having been put in a spin by Sophie Ecclestone. 

The right-hander first weathered the storm, then thrived as she went on to produce the highest score by a No.8 in women’s Test history, an unbeaten 137 from 184 deliveries that featured 16 fours and one enormous six off the bowling of Ecclestone. 

It was the first of what is sure to be many career-defining innings by Sutherland, and reflecting on the knock earlier, she told cricket.com.au: “It was just about absorbing their pressure. 

“Ecclestone was probably into her 30th over by that point, so we were trying to absorb that and still be as positive as we could, and score when we got balls to score off. 

“I was head down, just trying to go about my business … I wasn’t really thinking too much about my score, it was more about how many runs we could put on the board, knowing how crucial that was going to be come the fourth innings.” 

Records tumbled as the then-21-year-old became the youngest Australian woman to score a Test century since Belinda Clark in 1991, while her innings was also the fastest Test hundred by an Australian woman. 

“It was pretty surreal … I hadn’t thought about (a century) at all, to be honest,” Sutherland continued.  

“Coming in at eight, it was not even on my mind, even the night before.  

“I was just trying to stay out there for as long as I can, do a job for the team … (but) it was special to look back and see my teammates on the balcony at Trent Bridge, cheering and clapping. 

“(It gave me) full faith in my ability.  

“I’ve done a lot of work, and I know I’ve got trust in my skills, but no doubt it helps when you make runs out on the big stage.” 

***  

Sutherland has been forced to bide her time for regular opportunities in the Australia XI, despite bolting into their 2020 T20 World Cup squad at age 18 just months after her high school graduation. 

Her talent has never been in question, but simply making it into a world-beating Australian squad is one of the toughest tasks in world cricket. 

Cementing a spot in the best XI is another challenge all together, that can require a great deal of patience and an ability to seize the moments when they are presented. 

And even when a player breaks into the XI, Australia’s ultra-deep batting means players who line up in the top three for their states or WBBL teams, like Sutherland, generally come in well down the order at international level. 

Likewise, there are a plethora of bowling options. 

That means when an opportunity does present itself, it must be taken. 

Sutherland did exactly that at Trent Bridge in June 2023, and she again rose to the challenge a month later when injury ruled Alyssa Healy out of an ODI against Ireland. 

Given the chance to open the batting at Clontarf, Sutherland hit her first one-day international century.  

Rightly promoted to No.6 for last summer’s WACA Test against South Africa, Sutherland again rewrote the record books, hitting the fastest double century in the history of women’s Tests. 

She reached the milestone in just 248 balls, making it the fastest double ton in women’s Test history – blitzing the previous record of 306 balls held by Karen Rolton.  

In the process, Sutherland also became the youngest Australian woman to score a double hundred, and when she was finally dismissed for 210, she could lay claim the second highest Test score by an Australian woman behind Perry’s 213no. 

Most recently, she has earned a promotion to No.5 in the one-day XI, and seized her shot against India at the WACA Ground in December, rescuing Australia from trouble at 4-78 with a brilliant knock of 110. 

Less than two weeks later she doubled up, hitting 105 against New Zealand in Wellington, saving her team from a similarly difficult position.  

The most exciting thing for Australian fans?  

Sutherland is only 23 years old, and the Victorian is only just starting to realise her immense potential. 

“I think it’s entirely up to her what she wants to achieve in the game,” Perry said.  

“I know for her as well it’s not just about the personal accolades.  

“She wants to be a really successful leader and contribute to the team in all different facets.  

“It’s a bit scary to think that she’s still so young, when you think 10 years down the track where she might be as a player and as a person.  

“Australian cricket is so lucky to have her.” 

*** 

Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham distinctly remember their first impressions of their former Renegades teammate, who in 2016-17 became the youngest ever WBBL player when she debuted for the club aged 15. 

“She was a baby, but just super talented,” Molineux recalled.  

“You could see it from the start. She has always been really mature for her age as well, and I think that comes through in her cricket.  

“I knew she was going to be an incredible cricketer.” 

Sutherland’s first taste of playing at the MCG came as a ‘Milo kid’ during the lunch break of a Boxing Day Test, and the last time Australia’s women played at the MCG, Sutherland – by then a fully-fledged international cricketer – was mixing Gatorades on the sidelines as her teammates stormed to victory in the 2020 T20 World Cup final in front of 86,174 fans. 

Back then, a then-18-year-old Sutherland had been a bolter in Australia’s squad, handed her international cap just months after she graduated high school. 

Fast forward almost five years and Sutherland is set to be one of the headline acts for this summer’s historic day-night Ashes Test at the MCG. 

As a one-eyed Geelong Cats supporter, and given her family’s strong ties to cricket, Sutherland spent plenty of time in the stands at the MCG while growing up. 

But nothing will compare to the chance to wear the Baggy Green on the hallowed turf. 

“It’s really special,” Sutherland said.  

“There’s so much history that goes with both the Ashes and the MCG, so I can’t wait to get out there and try and embrace it.  

“I think it’ll be a pretty competitive contest.  

“I remember being out there as a little Milo cricket kid on a day three of a Boxing Day Test. 

“There are many special memories, from cricket to right through to footy and Grand Finals, there’s been too many to count.” 

Commbank Women’s Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20s only), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont*, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Day-night Test: January 30 – February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 – Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women’s Ashes Hub