Cricket: Ronchi makes most of test debut

Luke Ronchi avoids a short ball on his way to 88 on debut at Headingley. Photo / Getty Images

Luke Ronchi delivered 88 off 70 balls in his maiden test innings to bring New Zealand close to parity with England on the opening day of the second test.

The visitors are 297 for eight at stumps; only 65 overs were possible due to rain.

Ronchi, the country's 267th test player, was fearless in his application and uncompromising with bad balls. He came within 12 runs and 14 deliveries of the fastest century on debut and becoming the first New Zealander to make a century at Headingley in eight tests. Sure, his first ball edged over the slips for four, but most of the task was completed with minimal unnecessary risk.

Ronchi produced the innings of a hardened professional ready for the test stage after 83 first-class matches, an average of 38.42 and 13 centuries.

The 34-year-old treasured the moment knowing, with B-J Watling as the incumbent wicket-keeper, this could be his one chance to play a test.

"For as long as I've loved cricket I wanted to play tests, even though it's late in my career," Ronchi said. "I'm not taking it for granted, that's for sure. I tried to enjoy the experience as much as I could. I didn't want to feel nervous and not play naturally.

"I'm lucky to be given a chance and had a decent first day. It was a good day for the team too, after being two for two. We built partnerships and pushed the game along with the run rate [of 4.57]. There was no specific plan to do so, but players just did their natural thing.

"I got away with a bit, that first ball going over the slips was pretty lucky, but Tommy [Latham] was batting well and I tried to support him."

New Zealand's sixth-wicket partnership again came to the rescue, as it has with two world records in the past 15 months. Latham and Ronchi put on 120 to take New Zealand to 264.

One run later Ronchi succumbed to a trap, hooking Stuart Broad to James Anderson at fine leg off a short delivery on leg stump.

"There were about four of them there [on the legside] so I knew where the ball was going. Some of them I played okay, some I didn't, but I didn't want to premeditate anything.

"It was a good plan. Sometimes I thought 'I won't play the pull shot or hook shot as much' but I couldn't stop myself trying to hit, so I think it worked well for them."

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It was a day for achievement. Anderson's dismissal of Martin Guptill made him the first Englishman to take 400 test wickets, extending his record.

"It was nice to get it out of the way early so I could concentrate on bowling," Anderson deadpanned.

"It's a proud moment but feels surreal, given those who are on the list in the past."

He felt they didn't fully meet their expectations after such a dominant start.

"To give away 4.5 runs an over was not good by our standards. When we didn't bowl well, they punished us. It's not a shock they scored as they did, but at least we took wickets."

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