Overseas star Luke Ronchi today reflected on “a great way to start” after his Birmingham Bears debut in the NatWestT20Blast at Trent Bridge last Friday.
Just 24 hours after arriving in England the New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman was a key man in the Bears’ thrilling six-wicket over Notts Outlaws.
Our bowlers did fantastically well on a good wicket to keep the target down and then Sammie Hain was just awesome.
Luke Ronchi
As Sammie Hain’s brilliant unbeaten 92 powered the Bears home, Ronchi contributed 22 from ten balls – just the type of explosive cameo at a crucial time that Birmingham had in mind when they signed him for the whole of this Blast campaign.
It was a pleasing debut all round for the Black Caps player who is now counting down the days to his home debut in the local derby against Worcestershire Rapids at Edgbaston this Friday.
“It was a great game at Trent Bridge and a great way to start by getting a win on the board,” Ronchi said. “Our bowlers did fantastically well on a good wicket to keep the target down and then Sammie Hain was just awesome.
“Towards the end of our innings there was a bit of drizzle so the conditions changed and the pitch got a bit skiddy and more difficult, so to chase 180 was a really good effort.
It was a really easy transition into the Bears dressing-room because everyone is so accommodating
Luke Ronchi
“It was nice for me to go in there and help out. Sammie had done such a great job that all I had to do was get a little partnership and some momentum going. We did that and then Chris Woakes and Sammie finished it off really well.”
The likeable Ronchi has settled immediately into a Bears’ set-up about which he had already heard plenty from Jeetan Patel, a long-time team-mate at Wellington back in New Zealand.
“It was a really easy transition into the Bears dressing-room because everyone is so accommodating and really welcoming,” he said. “They are certainly not a hard group to get to know but I know a few of the guys already.
“I know Jeets very well and have played against Belly a few times and with Woakesy for Wellington. Now I will be around the guys during the current championship match to get to know them a bit more and for them to get to know me.”
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