worcestershire’s record equalling opener hamish rutherford is returning to New Road for the remainder of the season.
the new zealander is replacing callum ferguson as the county’s overseas player for the final stages of the vitality blast and specsavers county championship programme.
rutherford is due to fly into england on thursday in time to be under consideration for selection for friday’s vitality blast derby with birmingham bears at edgbaston for the norman gifford trophy.
ferguson is returning home to australia for personal reasons after linking up with worcestershire for a second spell in early may.
thirty-year-old rutherford became only the second player to score a century on first class and list a debut for worcestershire at the start of this season.
he hit 123 in the specsavers county championship match at the fischer county ground, leicester and followed it with 108 on his royal london one-day cup debut at emirates old trafford – plus 126 at northampton in the same competition.
the only other worcestershire player to complete a first class-list a hundred double on their debut was australian phil jaques in 2006.
worcestershire cricket steering group chairman, paul pridgeon, said: “hamish is returning for the final part of the season and is looking forward to coming back.
“he made a great impression with the bat and forged a nice bond with the boys.
“callum is leaving here early for personal reasons which we fully respect.”
rutherford, the son of ex new zealand captain ken rutherford, has to date played 16 tests, four odis and seven t20is for the black caps.
see rutherford in action this bank holiday sunday 25th august, when the worcestershire rapids take on lancashire lightning. only 500 tickets remaining! click here