The Bracewell Factor

[Andy Mellon]

The New Zealand coach has shown himself to be one of the best coaches in cricket in the past, especially with his acheivements in County Cricket where he turned Gloucestershire into a winning outfit, especially in one day competitions. In recent times, he has taken the reins at the New Zealand national team, a side which suffered from some disciplinary problems in the 1990s with fiery players such as Chris Cairns and Adem Parore. Bracewell has certainly placed his stamp on the side since rising to the top job in Kiwi cricket in September 2003. However, people are starting to question whether Bracewell's attitude is causing more damage than improvements.

Since taking over the side, his confrontational attitude and his desire to pick wild-cards has seen some big name players left in the wilderness. These players include most importantly, Matthew Sinclair and Ian Butler.

Butler is a fiery fast bowler who impressed for the Kiwis on his international appearances to date, particularly with a destructive spell against the Pakistanis at Wellington back in 2004 when he took 6-46. Despite Butler's experience of county cricket - he played for Gloucestershire back in 2003 and Kent in 2005 - and his penetrative power he has not played for the Kiwis since December 2004. To add insult to injury, he was not even given a central contract for the current year, despite being only 24 and having the potential to be the new Shane Bond if nurtured properly. Although currently injured, it seems amazing that Butler continues to be ignored whilst Chris Martin continues to play for the Kiwis despite a poor record outside of New Zealand.

Sinclair is another play who seems to have been unfairly ignored by Bracewell in recent times. Although just on the wrong side of thirty, Sinclair probably has 4 years of top level cricket left in him. In his test career to date, he averages a pretty decent 36.89. This average would put him ahead of many 1980s New Zealand batting stalwarts - such as Ken Rutherford or John Wright - but he too has now not played a test since 2004 and has been ignored for a central contract. In fact, Bracewell obscenely and obstinately is still picking Hamish Marshall in an unfamiliar openers slot when Sinclair is in exceptional form for Central Districts.

This brings me onto the main problem that I see with Bracewell. He doesn't like to to be wrong or be seen to be wrong. He originally picked the Marshall twins - Hamish and James - on a hunch. At first, Marshall seemed to cope well with international cricket and indeed currently averages 42.5 in the 15 innings he's played. However, Bracewell continues to pick him despite him being woefully out of form and now picks him in an opening role despite Marshall having never opened before. This sort of obstinacy can only be damaging the morale of more deserving players, such as Sinclair, Lou Vincent or Michael Papps. In fact, the media frenzy that Marshall's selection over Vincent has caused seriously detracted from the solid performance by the Kiwis during the one day international series against the West Indies. Could this distraction have been part of the reason for the Kiwis poor performance during the first test? Despite this, Bracewell remains unbowed. Marshall was dismissed cheaply in both innings of the first test, his mistimed drive to mid-on in the first innings particularly showing how uncomfortable he was facing the new ball. Instead of calling up the eager Lou Vincent, Bracewell named an unchanged squad which will mean that Marshall continues to open the innings. How many failures will Marshall need before Bracewell reconsiders the batting line up. What seems even more peculiar about the naming of this squad is that despite Shane Bond bheing afflicted by a sore knee, Chris Martin by a back strain and James Franklin by a thigh strain, the only bowling backup in the team is the pedestrian Kyle Mills. My question with this is that despite a good showing by Michael Mason in the one dayers and by Graeme Aldridge during the domestic season, or even giving some valuable experience to hot prospects Roland Sherlock or Te Aho Davis, Bracewell has not named any cover for his injured bowling line up. This is just the latest in a long line of peculiar decisions by Bracewell.

In my opinion, its about time someone told Bracewell to get his act together. Despite having players available which should be able to roll over the West Indies, Bracewell's persistance in putting his image onto the New Zealand team rather than playing the best XI has allowed the West Indies to expose flaws in the Kiwi top order. This should not have happened, and should certainly not be allowed to continue. Its time for Bracewell to either start picking the best Kiwi side, or move over to make way for someone who'll act in the best interests of the New Zealand team, rather than the best interests of John Bracewell.

[Andy Mellon]

Hamish Marshall out cheaply AGAIN. Surely a second failure in this match will see him dropped from the starting line up.... Please!

[Paoli]

Though I admittedly know squat about NZ cricket apart from when alot is said about it, mainly JB related and when I see them on Foxtel, I think John Wright should be asked if he'd like to coach NZ and Bracewell should be given the flick.

[sittingduck]

The biggest problem i have with Bracewell is how he often lies to the media.

* After the 3 ODI's with australia he said McMillian had a valuable role to play in the team - then dropped him for the next series against SI.

* When Cairns retired he said he also was a valuable component of the team that would be missed - Cairns was dropped a couple of months earlier and only recalled due to the injury of Andre Adams, if Adams hadn't broken his finger, Cairns wouldn't of been part of the team.

There are more examples but i can't remember then. I don't have many problems with him as a coach but he shouldn't be a selector as well.

[Junior_Flem]

I find myself wondering if Bracewell is a large part of Flem's form struggles. Flem plays best when he is able to lead with autonomy. Judging by Flem's comments when Cairns was dropped, that he was 'disappointed' at the lack of consultation, I don't think he's all that impressed with Bracewell's dictatorial style. He won't say it publicly though. He's far too diplomatic.

[sittingduck]

For a different take on Bracewell's selection policies take a look at Chris Rattue's column in todays NZ Herald. Personal highlight is the idea of opening with McCullum and Fulton "New Zealand can lead by partnering a giant and a midget to put bowlers off their length."


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectID=10378940

[Andy Mellon]

That's a great article sittingduck, cheers for linking it. He pretty much says what most Kiwi fans are thinking, albeit in a very clearly sarcastic way. Someone soon is going to have to sit up and take notice of what a mockery Bracewell is making of this New Zealand team and chuck him out of his job!

[sittingduck]

I agree totally that Bracewell should go. Unfortunately theres no way he'll be removed this close to the world cup.

[Andy Mellon]

I would normally agree with you on that SD, but the Hamish Marshall opening experiment and Kyle Mills' promotion to number 3 and subsequent second ball dismissal are making New Zealand a laughing stock, and I think (and hope) that NZC are starting to see that its Bracewell that's forcing these ridiculous decisions on the team. Alternatively, Bracewell might be forced to tone down his more 'radical' team selections.... I can only hope!!

[vvvrulz]

I'm not really much of a fan of Bracewell at all. I don't mind 'experiments' but axing guys like Sinclair and more inexplicably Lou Vincent is just bizarre. I feel that he is ruining the balance of the team and hence their performances have become so erratic of late. Some of the less 'controversial' coaches such as David Trist or Denis Aberhart pulled in some good results but without the media spotlight.

Its time that Bracewell just got back to basics and started to settle down with a team, rather than forever chopping and changing.