INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

Western Australia’s cricketing pioneer John Rutherford passes away at 92

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Western Australia’s first Test cricketer John Rutherford bid adieu to the world at the age of 92 years.

He was the first player to play for Australia Men’s Team in Tests from Western Australia.

He played just a single Test for the national side that was the 1956 tour of England, Pakistan and India.

Rutherford revealed in an interview the struggles he underwent to get selected for Australia’s 1956 tour.

Western Australia started playing cricket in 1892-93.

The official invitation to Western Australia for Sheffield Shield was given only in 1947-48.

Before Rutherford, another Western Australia player, Ernie Bromley played two Tests for Australia in 1933-34.

In the Test match against India in 1956, Rutherford made 30 and took the prized wicket of Vijay Manjrekar.

The match however ended in a draw at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Rutherford played 67 first-class matches in the 1952-53 period and then again in 1960-61 where he scored 3367 runs at an average of 31.76.

While captaining Western Australia against the West Indies, Rutherford suffered a stroke at the age of 31 that cut short his cricketing career.

He then struggled to regain his position in the national squad after the incident.

But he paved the way for other Western Australia greats such as Graham McKenzie, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh

Christina Matthews, WA Cricket Chief Executive, paid her tributes to John Rutherford after his passing away.

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