The 360 for five total is the sixth highest score by New Zealand in ODIs. Such is the consistency and success of the current side there is almost an expectation records will break when they play.
New Zealand cannot always rely on McCullum, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to assert their batting authority; today's effort shows how punishing the order can be beyond the feted trio.
After the hosts slumped to 93 for five after 20 overs, Ronchi and Elliott conjured the extraordinary recovery.
Ronchi savaged 170 off 99 balls, continuing the form he found to deliver 24 off the 48thover to help win the game in Nelson. It's the highest score by a No.7 batsman in ODIs and fourth highest by a New Zealander.
His bat speed was no match for the wayward bowling. He became a coiled spring unleashing everywhere with wrists as supple as rubber bands. His batting compass swatted balls into the stands over mid-wicket and straight before adjusting to punish cover drives from width outside off stump. In short, he was an immovable obstacle.
Elliott played the anchor role before tapping into a seam of aggression which took him to his second ODI century with 104 off 96 balls. He rotated the strike effortlessly, further justifying his World Cup selection as a No.5 option.
A rare escape came at the start of the 35th over when Elliott, on 47, hit a shot to cover and an outstretched Lahiru Thirimanne bobbled it on the ground. Ronchi had two lives with dropped catches on 95 and 167.
Elliott also bowled steadily, taking two for 42 in nine overs as captain McCullum asked him to take more all-rounder responsibility across the game. Trent Boult justified his recall, taking a career-best four for 44 from his allotment, while McClenaghan took two for 56 from eight.
Earlier, the hosts were sent in by Sri Lankan captain Thirimanne, who was standing in for Angelo Mathews as he nursed a calf muscle injury.
McCullum (25), Williamson (26), Taylor (20) all established themselves before being undone by Sri Lankan guile, including Thirimanne, who finished with two for 36 from seven overs of accurate dibbly-dobblies. As captain he unleashed the bowling shackles, having previously only bowled 50 ODI deliveries, including a best of one for 25 from 4.1 overs.
The teams stay in Dunedin for the sixth match of the series on Sunday.
Ronchi and Elliott v Sri Lanka at Dunedin:
- World record sixth-wicket stand of 267 in ODIs, overtaking the 218 mark set by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mahela Jayawardene playing for an Asian XI against an African XI in 2007 at Chennai.
- It was the second best partnership by New Zealanders against any country behind the opening effort of 274 by Brendon McCullum and James Marshall against Ireland at Aberdeen in 2008.
- 360-5 is NZ's sixth highest ODI score.
- Ronchi's 170 is the fourth highest score by a NZer in ODIs and seventh fastest century in 74 balls.
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