Luke Ronchi bids adieu to international cricket

Wellington [New Zealand], June 22 (ANI): New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi has announced his retirement from international cricket, saying he now wants to focus on his family. The 36-year-old insisted he felt privileged to have represented the national side at a time in which it was competitive in all three formats of the game. "It was a dream come true. 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," the ESPNcricinfo quoted Ronchi as saying. Ronchi, however, will continue to play in franchise-based Twenty20 tournaments and domestic T20 circuit around the world-with his next assignment coming in the NatWest T20 Blast for Leicestershire. The wicketkeeper-batsman appeared in a total of four ODIs and three T20 internationals for Australia between 2008 and 2009 before eventually switching his allegiance back to his native New Zealand in 2013. Ronchi went on to play four Tests, 85 ODIs and 32 T20Is for the Black Caps. His most memorable one-day innings came in 2015 when he struck 170 runs from 99 balls against Sri Lanka in Dunedin. Earlier this month, Ronchi also proved his ball-striking skills in his final international campaign at the recently-concluded the Champions Trophy, when he hammered 65 off 43 balls to guide New Zealand to a winning position against Austraia, only to see rain make the final decision. (ANI)