Ken Rutherford named Northern Districts chairman of selectors

Former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford has been appointed as the chairman of selectors for Northern Districts ahead of the 2016-17 season.

Rutherford played 56 Tests and 121 ODIs in a decade-long international career. His experience at the top level was seen as an asset as Northern Districts look to better their returns from last season - they finished fourth in the Plunket Shield with only two wins in ten matches, and fifth out of six teams in both limited-overs formats.

With the first-class season beginning on October 22, one of Rutherford's immediate responsibilities would be to pick a team for their opening match against Canterbury. He felt a good crop of talent, that has played at the highest level, should help reverse their fortunes.

"There is undoubted untapped potential and promise in our region," Rutherford told Dominion Post. "What excites me most is that the established players such as Daniel Flynn, Anton Devcich and Dean Brownlie have considerable upside in terms of what they can achieve.

"They have been past Black Caps players and can be again. The foundations are in place with a nice balance between experience and youth. Couple that with an expert coaching staff led by James Pamment and all indications suggest a rewarding summer of cricket ahead."

The 2016-17 Plunket Shield will also feature the pink ball's debut in first-class cricket in New Zealand.