Hamish Rutherford: Essex batsman 'desperate to play'

New Zealand batsman Hamish Rutherford hopes joining Essex can be a launchpad for his one-day international career.

The 24-year-old averaged 21 in four innings during his country's 2-0 test series defeat by England this month.

"There's a three-month break back home now and I'm just desperate to play a lot of cricket," he told BBC Essex.

"I'm especially excited for the one-day stuff as I haven't really played a lot of it so I'm hoping it helps force me into the New Zealand 50-over team."

Rutherford has joined up with his new Essex team-mates ahead of this weekend's YB40 game with Scotland at Chelmsford.

After two failures in the first game of New Zealand's two-match series, the left-hander hit 42 in the second innings during the recent defeat at Headingley.

"I managed to get to 27 in the first innings [at Headingley] and then to get another decent nut I was reasonably happy," he continued.

"They were only starts, but after a good month off I feel like I'm coming into some form now."

The Otago-born batsman agreed to join Essex after the club's original overseas player Rob Quiney was ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury.

He now becomes the third Kiwi to arrive at the County Ground in recent years, following seamer Tim Southee and all-rounder Scott Styris.

"Tim and Scotty had a lot of good things to say about Essex," Rutherford added.

"It's especially nice to hear that Chelmsford is a flat pitch with short boundaries so I can't wait to get started on Sunday."