Rockstar Michael keeps the Bracewell flag flying high

HYDERABAD: Sensational New Zealander Michael Bracewell is a chip of the old block as cricket runs in the family, which has three Test cricketers in John Bracewell (uncle), Brendon Bracewell (uncle) and Doug Bracewell (cousin). His father Mark, who has been his coach since his early years, is also a first-class cricketer. Though he is a late bloomer, the 31-year-old Michael is not only adding to the reputation of his clan but is also making a strong case to be rated as the most feared No.7 batter in international cricket.
Talking about cricketing tradition in the family, Michael said he is spoilt for choice when it comes to taking advice but values his father's opinion the most."I talk to a whole lot of people about the game and keep it like a closed circle. My dad is probably the one I talk to the most. He has given great advice since I was 2. I certainly value his opinion more than anyone else but being away from home, the coaching staff at Black Caps has been amazing and fantastic to bounce ideas off," the Kiwis said after the game.
Michael’s scintillating 78-ball 140, which contained 12 fours and 10 huge hits over the ropes, had all the hallmarks of a master blaster. He literally toyed with the Indian bowlers as he dispatched the white cherry to all parts of the ground. He was in such command on Wednesday that he could pick a spot and the ball followed - whether it was an audacious scoop off pacer Mohammed Shami or an outrageous driver over cover off finger spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
The left-handed batter had to wait for 10 years after his maiden first-class game to get his international cap. He made his debut in March last year and is making up for all the lost time. He is just grabbing every opportunity that comes his way to make a mark for himself. Wednesday was not the first time that he bailed out the team from a hopeless situation. Against Ireland, in only his fourth ODI, he had smashed an unbeaten 127 to chase down 301 after the Black Caps lost six wickets for 153 runs.
On Wednesday, he couldn't help his side get over the line as he fell to a yorker from Shardul Thakur with just 13 runs to get but his brand of fearless cricket has earned him a lot of fans in the sub-continent.
Michael, who has more than 100 first-class games under his belt, was forthright in admitting that his long years spent in domestic cricket has helped him do well in international cricket. "I would say most international cricketers are pretty motivated but the benefit that I have is that I was able to get experience in domestic cricket and understand the way that I want to play. I came into international cricket sort of knowing this is how I am successful domestically and I am going to try and emulate that in international cricket," he said. "So far, there have been some patchy moments but when it comes off it feels pretty good. Unfortunately, I could not get the team over the line tonight," he added with a sigh.
At 131 for six, the dice was loaded against the Kiwis as they needed 219 for a win in 21.2 overs. Yet, Michael, who shared a record 162-run stand with Mitchell Santner to take the game down to the wire, was unperturbed. What was going through his mind during that time?
"I think you are just trying to win the game of cricket really. It is just about coming in and trying to do your role. It sort of takes the pressure off when you are losing so many wickets. You just try and rebuild and not get too far ahead of yourself," he said.
"We were just talking about giving ourselves a chance and taking the game deep. We did not really talk too much about winning the game at that stage but if you are able to do the groundwork early you give yourself a chance at the back end. We were able to get close but unfortunately it wasn't enough," Michael said.
The New Zealander seems to have taken confidence from his earlier effort against Ireland. ‘It is one of those things once you get over the line you start believing you can do it again. We watched Shubman bat for 50 overs and saw that it was a pretty good wicket. You could play your shots, especially down the ground looked pretty small straights," he said.
The final stretch of the match on Wednesday resembled a T20 game as the visitors needed 103 in the last 10 overs. Michael, who was initially a wicketkeeper-batter and turned into a spinner while being on the job, has played a lot of T20 cricket.
"T20 has been a huge influence on one day cricket and that is what makes one day cricket so exciting. You can be in a position like we were in and you can still work your way up to a position of power. I don't think we got ourselves to a position of power, but we got ourselves in a position where we could have won the game. The skills that players are learning in T20 cricket are hugely beneficial for the one day game," he said.
It is a pity that Michael was unsold at the IPL mini auction for this season. But after his heroics on Wednesday, it is sure that most of the IPL team management will have their eyes on him.
Michael makes numbers go dizzy
Michael Bracewell, during his special knock, shattered several records. Here is a compilation of the top three records he broke on Wednesday.
1. With his second century, Bracewell has now become the first-ever player to smash two centuries while batting at No. 7 or below in ODI chases. While Indian legend MS Dhoni, too, scored two ODI hundreds while batting at No. 7, both of his tons came during the first innings.
2. Another record that Bracewell broke with his remarkable knock is that his 140 is now the second-highest individual score by any batter while batting at No. 7 or below in an ODI run-chase. Luke Ronchi's 170 against Sri Lanka while batting at No. 7 in 2015 tops this list. However, his knock came in the first innings. Marcus Stoinis' unbeaten 146 against New Zealand in 2017 is the highest score by a batter while batting at No. 7 or below in an ODI run chase. Bracewell's 140 is just below Stoinis' 146 on the list.
3. Bracewell's 140 is now the second-highest individual ODI score for New Zealand that has ended up in a losing cause. Previously, Chris Harris' 130 against Australia in 1996 was in second place on the list. The 141 scored by Scott Styris against Sri Lanka at the 2003 ODI World Cup in Bloemfontein still remains at the top of the list.