Bracewell ends 16-month exile from Black Caps
Windies up for ODIs - Gayle
The sudden death of allrounder Colin de Grandhomme’s father has opened the door for Doug Bracewell’s first New Zealand cricket international in 16 months.
De Grandhomme boarded a plane for Zimbabwe yesterday after being told of the sudden death of his father Laurence, aged 61. He played 16 firstclass matches for Zimbabwe in the 1980s.
‘‘It’s terrible circumstances and our thoughts go out to him and his family,’’ said Black Caps selector Gavin Larsen.
No time frame has been put on the in-form de Grandhomme’s return to the Black Caps but it means Bracewell makes a surprise comeback as an allrounder in Wednesday’s first oneday international against West Indies in Whangarei.
The 27-year-old has played 27 tests, 14 ODIs and 14 Twenty20 internationals but his most recent was against India in Dharamsala in October 2016.
Since then it’s been a rocky ride for the controversial cricketer who bowled New Zealand to a test victory over Australia in Hobart in 2011, but left his career in jeopardy after a series of offfield incidents involving alcohol.
When Bracewell took the field for the Central Stags in October he hadn’t played since last December, when he suffered a serious knee injury when falling awkwardly on the slippery Yarrow Stadium turf.
In May he was sentenced to 100 hours community service and banned from driving for one year for his third drink-driving conviction, after he was caught three times over the legal breath alcohol limit near his home in West Indies star Chris Gayle has arrived in New Zealand, and the woes of his countrymen in test cricket don’t appear to have got him down.
The West Indies were comprehensively outplayed in the two tests, losing by an innings and 67 runs in Wellington and 240 runs in Hamilton.
Gayle told TVNZ that even thought it had been a tough test tour, they were up for the limited overs challenges that await them, starting next Wednesday at Cobham Oval in Whangarei.
‘‘These games are important,’’ he said. Haumoana, Hawke’s Bay.
Rather than draw a line through his name, New Zealand Cricket left the
‘‘It’s good to get wins under your belts and to win series as well. In these conditions it’s always difficult to play and beat New Zealand … but we are up for the challenge.
‘‘Once we can end that first game on winning note, anything is possible.’’
After the series opener in Whangarei, the action shifts to Christchurch, with the second and third ODIs to be played at Hagley Oval on December 23 and 26.
They are to be followed by three Twenty20 internationals, one in Nelson and two in Mount Maunganui. Black Caps door ajar for Bracewell. Coach Mike Hesson was strong on the fact Bracewell had matured and tried hard to change his ways.
Bracewell always hinted at ability with the bat, with a sound technique and ability to clear the rope with ease, but a test average of 13.85 and ODI average of 10.57 belied that.
Bracewell flew into gear with the willow this season, scoring 245 Plunket Shield runs at 81.66, including a knock of 97 against Auckland in Nelson.
In Ford Trophy he scored 116 at 39 and strike rate of 138, then in Wednesday’s Twenty20 opener hit 32 off 21 balls in the Stags’ five-wicket loss to Auckland.
‘‘I watched him quite closely from those early Plunket Shield games. He got 97 in Nelson and he batted superbly in that knock, as good as I’ve seen him. He carried that on in Ford Trophy and we’ve seen him get better and better with the ball,’’ Larsen said.