In the 1950s, with John Reid, he carried a huge burden as New Zealand fought to reach some degree of parity with its international opponents after the retirement of such illustrious players as his fellow left-hander Martin Donnelly, Walter Hadlee, Jack Cowie, Mervin Wallace and others.
Who could forget his sensational debut for Otago soon after his arrival in Dunedin to study physical education, following war service in Egypt and Japan.
Chosen to play against Hammond’s MCC team, he arrived only minutes before play on the first morning. A mild reprimand from his Captain, Walter Hadlee for his lateness was followed by the instruction to put his pads on immediately.
"You’re coming out to open the innings with me”.
Sutcliffe protested in vain that he was a middle-order batsman and speaking at the funeral service, Walter Hadlee suggested that this decision was his greatest contribution to New Zealand cricket.
Two minutes before stumps that day, endeavouring to hook Bill Edrich to reach his double century (he straightdrove Pollard for 6 to reach his first 100), Sutcliffe was brilliantly caught and bowled for 197.
The Englishmen all expressed disappointment that he didn’t reach 200, but his 197 was followed by an even better innings of 128 which Hammond described as “a chanceless brilliant piece of batting, as good as any I have seen."
No New Zealand cricketer captured the public imagination as Sutcliffe did, none enjoyed such spectacular success, yet throughout his brilliant career he remained unaffected, friendly, sincere and cheerful.