Bashley (Rydal) celebrate Ronchi's Aussie Academy placement

Luke Ronchi, who has spent the past two summers playing for Bashley (Rydal) in the Southern Electric Premier League, has won a coveted place in Australia's Cricket Academy.

He had originally intended to return for another season with the New Forest club.

"But once Luke knew he had been short-listed for the Academy, there was no way he was coming back to us, not this season at any rate," explained Bashley skipper Neil Taylor. "Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted for him."

Ronchi is among 14 of Australia's most promising junior cricketers to be awarded a scholarship at the Adelaide-based Commonweath Bank Academy, which is run by former Australian Test wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh.

Selection is a dream come true for the talented Perth wicketkeeper-batsman, who has been nudging Western Australia's selectors this past winter.

Ronchi, a right-hand batsman with awesome back-foot striking power, scored 1,250 Southern League runs in his two summers at Bashley.

He played several times for WA 2nd XI during the past Australian season. And with Perth CC clubmate Adam Gilchrist now firmly established in the Test arena with Australia, Ronchi has a great chance to stake his claim behind the stumps in the WA State team.

Speaking from his Perth home, Ronchi said : "Being selected for the Academy has given me a great incentive to make a career in the game. "But it is down to me to make a success of it.

"I know I've got a lot of learning still to do, but I'm a couple of rungs up the ladder now and don't intend to waste the opportunity."

With Ronchi remaining in Australia this winter, Shaun Lilley and Chris Gates are expected to vye for the Bashley wicketkeeping slot this season.