The gloves come off as Ronchi ponders coaching role
From Twenty20 gun for hire, to glove for hire. Luke Ronchi starts the next phase of his cricket career this weekend, with a long-term eye to coach and mentor his potential Black Caps wicketkeeping successor.
Ronchi is one of 15 current or former New Zealand internationals signed with teams in England’s Twenty20 Blast, which starts tomorrow and runs till September 2.
He’ll play for Leicestershire, just up the M6 from Birmingham where his Wellington mates Grant Elliott and Jeetan Patel will play their trade along with allrounder Colin de Grandhomme, one of 10 centrally contracted Black Caps lining up.
It’s a fortnight since Ronchi’s international retirement announcement at age 36, something he’d contemplated since January, then revealed to New Zealand coach Mike Hesson in April.
The Black Caps have no scheduled international cricket till West Indies arrive in November, when attention will turn to who dons the gloves in T20 and one-day internationals. Wellington’s Tom Blundell, Auckland’s Glenn Phillips and Northern Districts’ Tim Seifert are high in the race, and Ronchi hopes to give something back as well as turn out for Wellington as a batsman in the T20 Super Smash in December.
‘‘I want to help some keepers with their skills, as much as I can wherever I can,’’ he said.
‘‘I played cricket for so long and had so many guys help out with my career and I think I’m in a position to do the same thing. There aren’t too many wicketkeeping coaches around.‘‘
Ronchi learned from the best, growing up in Perth. He was a clubmate of Adam Gilchrist’s and they played for Western Australia. ‘‘I watched him and hung around him as much as I possibly could. He’s a pretty good role model and mentor, on and off the field.’’
It seems odd that specialist wicketkeeping coaching appears rare in New Zealand. Especially now, after a long line of quality gloveman like Ian Smith, Adam Parore, Brendon Mccullum and Ronchi, the race is wide open for someone in white ball cricket.
Wellington remains home for Ronchi and he is building a house in Pauatahanui, north of the city, with wife Shaan and children Brody and Indi.
He hopes to continue discussions with Cricket Wellington and
New Zealand Cricket on a role when he returns.
For now there’s cricket to play; in England then either the South African or Bangladesh leagues in November, and potentially the Pakistan league in the United Arab Emirates in February as Elliott and others have done.
After telling Hesson he was retiring, Ronchi was grateful for one final opportunity. The weight had lifted but a return up the order to the pinch hitting role added to the angst.
He smashed 65 off 43 balls against Australia at Edgbaston, the team he played four ODIS for in 2008, and he felt worthy. Rain cost New Zealand a probable victory that day, after Ronchi stood up and slapped fast bowler Pat Cummins over extra cover for six among other audacious shots.
‘‘I still liked the [six] one a little bit later on off the front foot that went back over his head. I got away with some. With the role I was given I wasn’t going to die wondering in too many games. It was pretty cool to actually make a contribution.’’
Then, after quickfire defeats to England and Bangladesh, it was suddenly all over: 85 ODIS and four tests for Ronchi; his 88 on test debut at Headingley assisting New Zealand to a coveted win in England in 2015.
His career highlight was clearcut. ‘‘That 2015 World Cup … The whole six weeks, for everyone, it was just an amazing period to be involved in cricket.’’
The esteem Ronchi was held in that 2015 squad became clear when the big announcement happened last month.
Former captain Mccullum and team-mates were among a flood of heartfelt tributes on social media, or by old-fashioned text message, that seemed above a level usually seen for players in retirement.
‘‘Anything like that is pretty cool, that people are thinking of you and saying some really nice words.
‘‘They’re all genuine, heartfelt comments.’’