New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi retires from international cricket

Luke Ronchi was born in New Zealand but raised in Australia, breaking into international cricket as a stand-in for Brad Haddin on Australia’s tour to the West Indies in 2008, where he played four One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20.

Published on: Jun 22, 2017, 08:15:29 IST

Associated Press, Wellington | By Anonymous

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Wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi, who played limited overs cricket for New Zealand and Australia, has announced his retirement from the international game aged 36.

New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi has retired from all forms of international cricket. (AP)

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Ronchi was born in New Zealand but raised in Australia, breaking into international cricket as a stand-in for Brad Haddin on Australia’s tour to the West Indies in 2008, where he played four one-day internationals and one Twenty20.

He showed the first signs on that tour of the big-hitting style which became his hallmark when he hit a one-day half century from 22 balls, the equal third-fastest 50 by an Australian in ODIs.

Ronchi played only one more Twenty20 international for Australia after that tour and returned to his birth nation in 2012, winning selection in the New Zealand one-day team to play England a year later. He was the first player since Kepler Wessels 20 years earlier to represent two ICC member nations.

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Ronchi went on to play four tests, 85 one-dayers and 32 Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand. His most memorable one-day innings was his 170 from 99 balls against Sri Lanka in Dunedin in 2015.

Ronchi said he felt privileged to have represented New Zealand at a time in which it was competitive in all three formats.

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“It was a dream come true,” he said. “I can’t think of a better time to have been involved with New Zealand cricket.

“From the 2015 World Cup campaign through to the overseas tours of that time and some amazing games and series, it’s been a genuine highlight for me.”

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