Top-order teenage batsman Wian Ruthven, who fell agonisingly short of a double century for the Eastern Cape Iinyathi in the four-day match against the Mpumalanga Rhinos at Buffalo Park at the weekend, says he is slowly adjusting to first-class cricket.
In his third game in the professional domain, the 19-year-old scored a maiden century, making 194.
He was dismissed attempting to clear the boundary for a maximum.
A silly decision, he acknowledged when reflecting, saying it would have been better to knock off a few singles to reach the milestone.
That could probably be blamed on the exuberance of youth and lack of experience, though he had notched up two half centuries leading up to the moment.
In 2024, Ruthven was playing schoolboy cricket for Waterkloof in Gauteng.
That is where he made his name and caught the eye of Iinyathi head coach Tumelo Bodibe. Other than national youth weeks and school festivals, he has little experience at the higher level.
He said playing in the St Davids two-day festival, where Waterkloof played two two-day games in a week, was the closest he had previously come to playing multi-day cricket before his debut in December.
“I’m used to hitting the ball in T20s. In first-class cricket you have more time, so it’s testing your patience more.
“I’m really pleased with myself that I have adapted to the longer format,” he said.
He said Bodibe had been key to him settling into red ball cricket. “I think he’s probably sick of me asking so many questions,” Ruthven said.
“If I have doubt in my game, I always have a chat with him and he leads me the right way.”
Ruthven said the team was disappointed with the draw and not to have sealed a win.
The draw only moved them to fourth position, equal with the Knights, who have two games in hand.
Iinyathi are seven points behind Eastern Storm, who occupy the last spot required for the final.
Ruthven felt they had an upper hand for most of the game against the Rhinos after they posted a mammoth first innings score of 491.
He said the camp rued dropped catches in the Rhinos’ follow-on and the no-ball which let captain Muhammed Mayet off the hook. Mayet went on to score a century.
Iinyathi’s last game of the campaign will be against the Knights at Buffalo Park in two weeks. — Daily Dispatch
Top-order teenager batter Wian Ruthven, who fell agonisingly short of a double century for the Eastern Cape Iinyathi in the four-day match against the Mpumalanga Rhinos at Buffalo Park at the weekend, says he is slowly adjusting to first-class cricket.
