Hamish Rutherford's record

          Like father like son is clearly not a Rutherford family trait. Whereas Ken Rutherford began his Test career with a pair, Hamish produced one of the most impressive debuts in history against England,No disrespect to James Anderson, who ended Friday eight short of becoming only the fourth Englishman to take 300 Test wickets, but Hamish did have it slightly easier against England who managed to drop him twice during his innings.His dad’s pair helped to make him a cult hero in New Zealand sport and did not prevent him playing international cricket for a decade, which included captaining his country for three years.There were a few dark times and that is when things go through your head [about not making it in cricket],” he said. I started working in a coffee shop, doing some bar work and started to play cricket for enjoyment rather than looking at it from a sole work point of view.Cricket is not the be all and end all. I am not saving babies. At the end of the day if you nick off, you nick off. If you score runs, that is your job. That is my approach.I could never dream of making such a debut. A year ago I was not even playing for Otago so to have a debut like I have is very special. What I take from this is that the theories, thought-processes and techniques I have used over last couple of years are good enough to make it in international cricket
            He also claimed a small piece of history. Apart from recording the seventh highest maiden Test innings, his 171 broke a record that has spanned Test cricket’s history. He recorded the highest ever maiden Test innings score against England, beating the 165 made by Charles Bannerman for Australia in the first Test match in 1877.The University of Dunedin, New Zealand’s oldest seat of learning and where this Test is being played, had only been formed eight years earlier. Rutherford’s innings truly spans the ages. The two are friendly but not close. Hamish’s parents separated when he was a child and he bridled in a press conference recently when asked about his father’s influence. He wants to be his own man. Ken was not in Dunedin on Friday, the family’s home town. He lives in Johannesburg where he runs a bookmakers but his mother, Karen, was at the ground and his girlfriend was sat with the Barmy Army.