Luke Ronchi hit an unbeaten 170.
© AFP
Luke Ronchi slammed his maiden ODI hundred and entered the record books at the same time. In a sixth-wicket stand of gargantuan proportion, Ronchi (170 not out off 99 ball) and Grant Elliot (104 not out off 96 deliveries) put on a record 267 runs for an overwhelming 108-run win over Sri Lanka in their fifth one-day international in Dunedin on Friday.
New Zealand's 108-run triumph is their second biggest over Sri Lanka in terms of runs in ODIs, next only to the 116-run win at Auckland on March 20, 1983. New Zealand scored 360 for five, their best ever versus former World Cup champions Sri Lanka.
Ronchi was the toast of the day. He was in murderous mood, smacking nine sixes and 14 fours while setting several milestones along the way.
In addition to the world-record partnership with Elliott, his unbeaten 170 was his maiden ODI century and the highest ODI score by a number seven batsman.
Ronchi's innings erased MS Dhoni's name from the record books. Dhoni had scored 139 not out off 97 balls Asia XI vs Africa XI at Chennai on June 10, 2007.
However, Dhoni remains the only man to hit two centuries while batting at No. 7. The Indian captain scored 113 not out versus Pakistan at Chennai on December 30, 2012. Twelve tons have been scored by No. 7 batsmen in ODIs.
Elliott and Ronchi put on 267 (unbroken) - a world record partnership for the sixth wicket in ODIs, obliterating the 218 between Dhoni and Mahela Jayawardene for Asia versus Africa in Chennai on June 10, 2007. These two partnerships are the only double century stands for this wicket-position in ODIs.
"It was really fun to be out there with Ronchs. I was sitting at the non-striker's trying to get the strike off him, but I couldn't -- he kept hitting fours and sixes all the time," Elliott said. "I really enjoyed watching his innings, and it was great to have a fellow Wellingtonian there to celebrate the hundred with me, and also to celebrate his first hundred."
"When we first started the innings we thought we'd just bat for a while and get through that little period when the ball was still doing a bit," Ronchi said. "After that we were pretty relaxed about the whole situation and enjoyed the position we were in. Both of us were scoring quite freely and getting what we wanted out of the bowlers.
"You start playing shots and things happen without you even thinking of it, and then you know you're flowing nicely and in the zone. We were both definitely in that zone at some stage and continued on. It was a lot of fun in the whole situation. There was a lot of joy in getting the hundred and pushing on and winning."?
"We didn't even know what the world record is," Elliott said. "I thought I was on 98 when Luke came to me and told me I only needed a single to get a hundred. I think that that's an indication of what the team environment is like.
"It's not about the milestones for individuals out there. It's about getting as many runs as we can get as a team. At the end of it, we've got some accolades which is great. We'll share some beers tonight and look at the world record - whatever it may be, and be pretty proud that it's contributed to a win."
(With inputs from Rajesh Kumar)
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