WEST INDIES middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford said he was willing to put his body on the line for the cause after helping the West Indies to a five-wicket win in the first One-day International (ODI) versus Bangladesh at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts on December 8.
Chasing a 295-run target, Rutherford made a brilliant maiden ODI century – 113 off 80 balls – and shared in two game-changing partnerships with skipper Shai Hope (86 off 88) and Justin Greaves (41 not out off 31). Coming to the crease with the Windies on 94 for three in the 22nd over, Rutherford added 99 for the fourth wicket with Hope, before putting on a 95-run partnership with Greaves for the fifth wicket.
Rutherford was struck a couple of times by the Bangladesh seamers in the early part of his innings. However, once he settled in, he pounced on short-pitch bowling as well as the fuller lengths as he blazed the ball to all parts, hitting seven fours and eight sixes in his belligerent knock.
"It's always a great feeling scoring your first century. It's what we play cricket for and I did it for my team today," Rutherford said, claiming the Man of the Match award.
"There was no difficulty for me with the short ball. I just took my eyes off the ball and I got hit. That's part of the game," Rutherford said.
"It gave me a bit of a boost and helped me to focus more. At the end of the day, I'm willing to take a hit for my team."
Rutherford got to his fifty off 47 balls, with his century taking him only 30 more deliveries as he took the attack to the Bangladeshi bowling.
The Guyanese left-hander bizarrely got to his century in the 47th over. After working the ball off his pads for two to get to 97, a wayward throw raced to the boundary to help Rutherford bring up his milestone via overthrows.
In a hurry, Rutherford slammed Soumya Sarkar for consecutive sixes off the next two balls, before guiding the fourth delivery of the over into the hands of Nahid Rana at short third man.
"It was a bit tough to start for me, but it was a good wicket. I planned to give myself some time, and once I gave myself time I knew I could make up in the end. The conversation was to take it deep and (Hope) reminded me I could make it up in the back end."
Looking ahead to the second ODI at Warner Park on December 10, Rutherford said the recipe for success is for the team to repeat what brought them victory in the first match.
West Indies' win was their first against Bangladesh in an ODI since 2018 and stopped the visitors' 11-game win streak against the Caribbean team in the format.
The third and final ODI will be played on December 12.
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