All-rounder Sherfane Rutherford continues to churn out impressive performances in his quest to earn a stable spot in the national side.
The latest was a mature century on the second day of the Guyana Cricket Board/Jaguars three-day league with East Bank batting the entire day to end on 303 – 9, some 23 runs ahead of Essequibo at the Everest Cricket Club Ground, yesterday.
Rutherford shared day two glory with West Indies under – 15 captain Sachin Singh who fell one short of his century.
The duo featured in a 196-run, fourth-wicket partnership in what is turning out to be an evenly-poised matchup heading into the final day, today.
East Bank on day two, reached 94 – 3 at lunch with Singh and Rutherford adding 57 runs after being in a spot of bother early on with the score on 37 – 3.
Three wickets fell in the space of three runs as first – class all- rounder Keemo Paul accounted for John Champayne and Ronaldo Ali – Mohammed both of whom fell without scoring while Joshua Jones dismissed Christopher Deonarine for 15.
The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) pair of Singh and Rutherford then settled things by working the ball into the gaps while dispatching the loose deliveries with relative ease to carry their side safely to lunch, still trailing by 186 runs. Singh was unbeaten on 45 while his partner added 33.
Both men, after the lunch break, saw off a nagging spell from Paul to post their half centuries. Singh got to his before Rutherford who reached his with a savage slap through point for four.
They then pushed the score beyond the 150-run mark while extending their partnership which began to take the game away from Essequibo.
Rutherford then started to up the ante by easing Paul through the off side for a couple of lovely timed boundaries while Singh ticked the score along as East Bank looked set to overhaul Essequibo’s first innings total.
Soo after Rutherford reached his century by smashing off-spinner Chaitram Persaud for six over long off to post his milestone which took 208 deliveries.
He ended the session unbeaten on 104 to carry East Bank to 231 for 3 at the end of a wicket less session for the lads from the Cinderella County.
However, Singh fell agonizingly short of his century, in the second over after the tea interval for 99, LBW to Ricardo Adams. He faced 227 deliveries and struck 10 fours and a maximum.
Anthony Adams then removed Rutherford in the following over in a similar fashion for a well composed 108, an innings which included 11 boundaries and three sixes, leaving the score on 237 – 5 to turn the game in Essequibo’s favor.
Two more quick wickets followed with the score resting on 238 as Danny Narayan (2) fell LBW to Anthony Adams while Mark Rhobe (1) was sent packing via a beautiful piece of stumping by first innings century maker Kemol Savory to hand Ricardo Adams his second wicket.
East Bank was now in danger of falling short of Essequibo’s first innings total.
However, A stubborn lower order effort from off-spinner Darshan Persaud who ended unbeaten on 32, pushed East Bank to past Essequibo’s first innings total and the 300-run mark to end the day on 303 – 9.
Persaud stroked a few exquisitely timed late afternoon boundaries to catch the eyes of the onlookers.
Anthony Adams has so far taken 3 – 71 while fellow left-arm spinner Ricardo Adams has 2 – 35 and Paul 2 – 61.
