Opener sticking to aggressive tactics
OTAGO opener Hamish Rutherford has not given a single thought to changing his approach.
The hardhitting Volts lefthander is such a crucial cog in the lineup he could perhaps afford to take a little longer before unleashing.
But in his mind there is no room for doubt.
The powerplay presents such a brief and valuable window, you cannot afford to hesitate.
You do not want to lose the opportunity to take toll of the fielding restrictions and the hard ball at the beginning of an innings.
But despite the batting lineup not playing as well as it could, Rutherford will not be adopting a more conservative approach.
The 31yearold has got his strike rate (153.40) up to impressive heights but is averaging under 20 in the tournament this season and would have liked to have more impact.
‘‘As a batter you are always looking for more runs regardless of how you are going,’’ he said.
‘‘I’d like more runs and to be able to deliver matchwinning performances for the team which I haven’t done to date.’’
Super Smash
Otago team
Hamish Rutherford, Neil Broom, Nick Kelly, Josh Finnie, Dale Phillips, Anaru Kitchen, Michael Rippon, Nathan Smith, Max Chu, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell McClenaghan, Michael Rae.
He did play a winning hand earlier in the tournament with a rapid knock of 49 against Northern Districts earlier this month.
But in the last four matches he has had a lean run and the Volts’ prospects rest heavily on his shoulders.
Neil Broom is another highlyprized wicket and has been in decent form at the top of the order.
But for the Volts to post more competitive totals they need both of their stars firing and players such as Anaru Kitchen and Nick Kelly chipping in around them.
‘‘We just haven’t quite been as good as we were last year [as a batting unit],’’ he said.
‘‘But in all honesty we were very, very good last year and to live up to those expectations was always going to be tough.
‘‘We haven’t been quite as good but there is still three games and then the onedayers to lead into.
‘‘If we can get some nice momentum out of these games we can go into those firing.’’
The Volts retain a slim chance of making the Super Smash playoffs. But they have to win their remaining roundrobin games — beginning with Canterbury at Hagley Oval tomorrow night — and rely on other results.
In that sense the team has nothing to lose.
But either way, Rutherford was not planning on changing his plan of attack.
‘‘You’ve just got to trust in what you’ve been doing and hopefully it [form] turns.
‘‘My role in the team is to get us off to a [good] start. That’s my job and I haven’t quite been delivering it as well as I’d like.’’
The Volts have named an unchanged lineup for their match against Canterbury.
Coach Rob Walter made several changes to the side for the last game and said further changes would be counterproductive.
That means wicketkeeper Max Chu will get another run behind the stumps and Josh Finnie will retain his spot in the middle order.
THE Otago Sparks will be without White Ferns allrounder Hayley Jensen for its match against Canterbury at Hagley Oval tomorrow.
Jensen has been struggling with a knee complaint and has been ruled out.
She has been replaced in the line up by Saffron Wil son, who will be making her twenty20 debut for the province if she makes the starting XI.
Jensen missed the last match when she pulled up lame the day before the heavy loss to Wellington.
Her absence for tomorrow’s game was hinted at earlier in the week but it is hoped she will return for the Sparks’ final two twenty20 roundrobin matches, possibly as a specialist batswomen.
Wilson has played just four oneday games for Otago. The Christchurchborn allrounder has nabbed four wickets and chipped in with useful knock of 23 not out.
Marina Lamplough has also been called into the 13strong squad to strengthen the bowling options.
She is a little more established in the team and has played five twenty20 internationals for Hong Kong.
The rightarm medium pacer has not had much luck with the ball for Otago, though.
In 14 oneday matches for the province she has picked up just two wickets at an average of 227, while she is wicketless in 11 twenty20s for the province.
The Sparks have two wins from seven matches but were outclassed when they played Canterbury earlier in the tournament.
Classy lefthander Amy Satterthwaite stroked an unbeaten 56 from 40 deliveries at Molyneux Park late last year to guide her side to a comfortable eightwicket win.
She is the competition’s leading scorer with 292 runs at an average of 73 and shapes as a major threat again.
But Kate Ebrahim is not far behind. The Canterbury allrounder has accumulated 198 runs at an average of 99.
Women’s T20
Otago Sparks team
Millie Cowan, Polly Inglis, Katey Martin, Caitlin Blakely, Bella James, Saffron Wilson, Olivia Gain, Gemma Adams, Eden Carson, Emma Black, Sophie Oldershaw, Molly Loe, Marina Lamplough.