New Zealand’s Hamish Rutherford returns to Worcestershire for Vitality Blast

New Zealand all-rounder Hamish Rutherford is all set to return to Worcestershire Rapids set-up as an overseas player for the 2020 edition of the Vitality Blast.

Confirming the news, Worcestershire Cricket County Club said that Rutherford will be available to play for the entire T20 tournament, where Worcestershire Rapids won in 2018 and finished as runner-ups last year.

Worcestershire CCC Head Coach, Alex Gidman welcomed Rutherford in the county, saying that the left-hander could play a destructive role at the top of the order as the side once again look to mount strong challenge in this year’s competition.

“He was desperately keen to come and play for us again for the whole summer. Obviously that hasn’t happened and it’s great the club are still looking to pursue him for T20 cricket.We are looking forward to him coming back. Hamish and Riki (Wessels) can cause quite a lot of destruction at the top of the order and it’s important for us as a club and as a group of players that we challenge as much as we can in that competition,”Worcestershire CCC official website quoted Gidman as saying.

Rutherford is returning to the Worcestershire CCC set-up following a successful first spell at Blackfinch New Road last year, when the New Zealand batsman became only the second player to notch up a century on first-class and List A debut.

The New Zealander smashed a blistering knock of 123 during the Specsavers County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground, Leicester before scoring 108 runs against Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Emirates Old Trafford.

Rutherford, who has joined for the finale of the season after Callum Ferguson’s early departure, was initially slated to play the entire 2020 season for Worcestershire CCC before the campaign was delayed due to coronavirus pandemic.