For a talented batsman with almost all the shots in the book, it comes as a surprise that Ken Rutherford scored only 2465 Test runs at an ordinary average of 27.08. He struggled to blend talent with temperament and was excruciatingly inconsistent. Ken finished with a mediocre record in ODIs too - 3143 runs in 121 ODIs at an average of 29.65. He had also endured a torrid time, leading New Zealand for three years from 1992-1995 with just two Test wins in 18 attempts.

Rutherford had a nightmarish start to his Test career. Making his debut as a 19 year old against West Indies, he copped a pair. He huffed and puffed to 12 runs in 7 innings in his maiden Test series with the West Indian pacers ruling the roost.

He pulled his socks up later on and made some substantial contributions. He was a member of the New Zealand ODI team, which advanced to the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup. However, his inability to kick on from good starts brought about a reaction similar to that of Superman exposed to Kryptonite.

After being dumped from the New Zealand set-up, Rutherford migrated to South Africa, where he captained Gauteng in the first-class scene. He then went to coach the Ireland.

His eldest son, Hamish Rutherford, is currently regarded as a bright prospect for the future. He compiled a ton (171) on his debut against England in March 2013, a far cry from his father's maiden Test appearance.

By Cricbuzz Staff