Surrey’s new overseas man Sean Abbott has arrived in London ready for his upcoming stint at The Kia Oval but what has his career looked like so far?
The 29-year-old from New South Wales will be available for three LV= County Championship matches and the entirety of the Vitality Blast group stage for Surrey, starting with this week’s red-ball visit of Group 2 leaders Gloucestershire.
Abbott replaces Kemar Roach in the squad, who has returned to the Caribbean after 22 wickets in five first-class appearances. A right-arm seamer and very capable right handed batter, Abbott has been in the professional game since 2010.
Let’s learn a little more about the player who will be wearing the Three Feathers for the next couple of months.
NINE – AUSTRALIA APPEARANCES
Two ODIs and seven T20Is for his country in an era of exceptional Australian seamers proves Abbott’s undoubted ability.
The first of those ODIs came back in 2014 but his most recent 50 over international was against India in December 2020. Similarly, his T20I career began with three matches in 2014 before a return to the fold in 2019/20.
Across those games, he has claimed six wickets.
SEVEN TROPHIES
Abbott has become something of a trophy hoarder during his career as part of a very successful New South Wales team. He has won two Sheffield Shields, Australia’s first-class competition equivalent to our County Championship, three One-Day Cups and back-to-back Big Bash League titles with Sydney Sixers in the last two years.
New South Wales’ 2020/21 Marsh Cup victory included a Man of the Match final showing from Abbott, claiming 4/23.
The big game experience in the global tournament that is the BBL should stand Abbott is good stead for full houses at The Kia Oval. Those Sixers campaigns are also where Abbott first struck up a friendship with our own Tom Curran.
115 – CAREER T20 WICKETS
Having played 95 T20 games across his career, Abbott is going at an impressive strike rate of 15.32 in the shortest format in county cricket.
Those wickets came at an average of 21.80 with a few standout campaigns in the format including the 2019/20 BBL when he collected 16 wickets at just 12.75.
167 – FIRST-CLASS WICKETS
Should he play against Gloucestershire, our new man will make the 64th first class appearance of his career. He will be looking to add to the 167 wickets claimed so far.
The best figures of his career came in 2019 when he took 7/45 against Tasmania to seal New South Wales’ place in the Sheffield Shield final.
102* – FIRST-CLASS HIGH SCORE
Ever improving as a batsman, Abbott hit his maiden first-class century in the Australian summer that has just passed. It’s well worth a watch to see just what he can add to the team with the bat as well as the ball.
43 – 2020/21 SEASON WICKETS
Abbott arrives in London full of confidence and in excellent form after a 2020/21 season that saw him take 43 wickets across all formats on top of the the maiden century.
In nine first-class matches, he took 24 wickets at an average of 28.41 on a flat NSW wicket.
In five List A fixtures, he took 11 wickets at 21.45 and was one of the stand out players as New South Wales lifted the trophy.
In seven T20 games, he took eight wickets as Sydney Sixers successfully defended their BBL crown.
Every Surrey home match will be available to view either on kiaoval.com or Sky Sports this season. Away matches will be streamed by the county hosting the match and shared here where possible.
The best way to get your seat at The Kia Oval is with a 2021 Membership, starting from £69 for adults and £20 for U16s.
