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• “This is my dream”: Rutherford rates 68* against New Zealand as best knock of his career

  West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford rates his well-compiled half century against New Zealand at the ICC T20 World Cup on Wednesday as his best knock.

  The 25-year-old came to the crease with the hosts teetering at 22-4 in the sixth over after bring put in to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

  On a pitch that he described as “tacky” and “spongy” in the post-match press conference, Rutherford took his time in the early part of his innings before accelerating to a top score of 68* to help the West Indies post a match-winning 149-9 from their allotted 20 overs.

  Rutherford described the innings as perhaps the best of his career, so far.

  “I will put it as my best knock. It’s a World Cup. This is my dream. I’ve always wanted to play in a World Cup and this one is going to stay close to my heart. Hopefully, I can continue to take out good innings like this for my team and for myself,” he said.

  At the halfway point of the innings, the West Indies were 49-5 and Rutherford says head coach Daren Sammy’s advice was to bat time and take it deep.

  “He was just telling me to take it deep. I was batting with Akeal (Hosein) so I told him to keep going but my role was to basically take it to the 15^th or 16^th over but after we lost wickets I just told myself to try and take it to the 20^th over and try and maximize those last two overs which they had to make up with two bowlers,” he said.

  The Guyanese hard-hitter was recently a part of the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders and, despite not getting a game, he says he has been using that time to prepare for situations like the one he faced on Wednesday.

  “I pattern my game off these situations. Even before the World Cup, I try to put myself in positions in the nets where I have to bat properly and then have to excel in the end so I think it’s good to see that my plans and my work are coming to show,” he said.

  He faced a similar situation when the West Indies found themselves 79-5 batting first in the third T20I against Australia in Perth in February.

  Rutherford and Andre Russell put on 139 for the sixth wicket with Rutherford finishing 67* off 40 balls.

  He says the main thing he took from that innings was the importance of giving himself time at the crease.

  “The innings in Australia is one that I kept close to me and, even though it was a good innings, I try to pick a few things out of it. One of the few things was give myself time. It’s always a process and when you look too far ahead you can forget about the process so, for me, it was just ball after ball, give myself time, run singles and get myself ready so that in the back end I can make up,” he said.

  Finally, Rutherford made mention of the crowd at the Brian Lara Stadium.

  “When batting I try not to worry about the crowd. I just try to look at what’s in front of me and focus on the process but it’s good to have some support. It’s good to have the home crowd with us and hopefully they can keep supporting us,” he said.

  The West Indies will next take on Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy Stadium on June 17.

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Rutherford the difference for West Indies, says Powell and Williamson

  Captains Kane Williamson and Rovman Powell were in agreement that Sherfane Rutherford was the difference in West Indies' 13-run victory over New Zealand. 

  Rutherford hit an unbeaten 68 off 39 balls for the co-hosts as the Windies secured a 13-run victory over their opponents to reach the Super-8 stage at the T20 World Cup.

  The 25-year-old came to the crease with West Indies 22-4 inside the powerplay, and responded with a career-best effort that repaired the early damage, including hitting 37 runs from the final two overs to secure the win. 

  "We told the guys that somebody has to play a blinder," Powell said after the match. "It wasn't going to be an easy wicket because of the inclement weather.

  "We always believe that individual brilliance in T20 cricket is needed some time and Sherfane's innings was a fantastic knock. It gave us confidence and at the halfway mark, we believed [we could win]."

  The result sees New Zealand on the brink of elimination from the tournament following their 84-run defeat to Afghanistan in their opening group fixture, with Williamson admitting his side were beaten by a beautifully timed innings by Rutherford. 

  "The margins in the match are fine and in conditions like that, two or three balls where the match-up suits, that can be the difference," Williamson said at his post-match press conference.

  "We saw a fantastic knock from Rutherford and he certainly timed it beautifully and got his match-up. I think at the end of the day, that was the difference."

• Trinidadian netball star Samantha Wallace-Joseph released by NSW Swifts amid controversy

  In a not-so surprising turn of events, Trinidadian netball sensation Samantha Wallace-Joseph has been released by the New South Wales Swifts, by mutual agreement, mere months after returning from a two-year hiatus due to knee surgery. The Suncorp Super League franchise announced the departure on Thursday, citing issues related to her behavior within the team environment.

  Wallace-Joseph, a pivotal player for the Swifts, had missed multiple games recently, contributing to the team’s three-game losing streak. The Swifts, last year’s grand finalists, now find themselves in a three-way tie for fifth place on the ladder, a position far below their usual standards.

  The Swifts confirmed the split in a statement, explaining that it was a mutual decision made after weeks of discussions with Wallace-Joseph and her management.

   "For the past number of weeks, the club has been working with Samantha Wallace-Joseph and her management in relation to a matter which concerned her behaviour within the team environment,” the statement read. “For the wellbeing of all concerned the nature of the matter will remain confidential. However, it has been mutually agreed that parting ways is the best way forward for both Samantha and the club.”

  This development comes after the Swifts had previously shown unwavering support for Wallace-Joseph during her recovery from a serious knee injury. Her comeback, however, was overshadowed by controversy following anti-transgender comments she made on social media, which stirred significant public backlash.

  The Swifts emphasized the importance of maintaining high behavioral standards within their team, stating, “The behavioural standard expected of everyone in the Swifts environment – across players, coaches and staff – is team first and there are no exceptions to that.”

  Wallace-Joseph, who joined the Swifts in 2017, has been a key figure in the team’s success, playing 84 games and securing Premierships in 2019 and 2021. Despite her departure under strained circumstances, the Swifts expressed their gratitude for her contributions, saying, “The Swifts thank Samantha for her service to the Club.”

  As the netball community processes this shocking news, the Swifts have made it clear that they will not be making any further comments on the matter at this time.

  Wallace-Joseph's departure marks a significant chapter in her career, and her next steps will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike. Meanwhile, the Swifts will need to regroup quickly as they aim to recover from their current slump and return to their winning ways.