Ronchi To Aim For New Zealand Wicket-Keeping Berth

Ronchi To Aim For New Zealand Wicket-Keeping Berth

Luke Ronchi is set to retire from playing domestic cricket in Australia and attempt to revive his international career in New Zealand

©REUTERS / Action Images

Former Australian wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi has announced his decision to retire from playing for Western Australia and return to New Zealand, where he was born.

He plans to play domestic cricket and aims to make a return to international cricket with the Black Caps, for whom he would become eligible next year.

Ronchi, a hard-hitting batsman and capable gloveman, represented Australia in four One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals between 2008 and 2009.

He scored 64 in 28 balls against the West Indies in an ODI in 2008 before slipping behind Tim Paine and Matthew Wade as Brad Haddin's understudy behind the stumps.

He has subsequently struggled to maintain a regular place in Western Australia's team, with youngster Michael Johnson forcing his way into the reckoning.

New Zealand have given opportunities to Reece Young, Gareth Hopkin, Peter McGlashan, Brendon McCullum, BJ Watling and Kruger van Wyk behind the stumps in the last five years so it is not beyond the realms of possibility to see him donning the gloves for the country of his birth.

Northern Districts' Watling is a converted batsman-'keeper as is Michael Papps, who is currently doing the same job for Wellington.

If successful, he would follow in the footsteps of the likes of dual internationals Kepler Wessels (Australia and South Africa), John Traicos (South Africa and Zimbabwe) , Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan (Ireland and England).

Dirk Nannes, who represented Netherlands before playing for Australia, is the most recent capped Australian to represent two countries and the only New Zealand cricketer to have represented more than one country is West Indian-born Sammmy Guillen although Hamish Marshall came close to representing Ireland in more recent times.

Ronchi would threfore be the first man to represent both Australia and New Zealand.

He has played 54 first-class matches for Western Australia as well as 73 one-day games and 26 Twenty20s. He has also represented Australia A, the Mumbai Indians and the Perth Scorchers.

© Cricket World 2012