Rookie Bracewell on learning curve

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The last two months have been a learning curve for Doug Bracewell. The young pacer burst on to the scene late last year, when just in his third Test he ran through the Australian batting to script a famous win for Kiwis in Hobart.

But it’s in the last three Tests — two in the West Indies and one in Hyderabad last week — that Bracewell would have learnt a thing or two about fast bowling. The pitches in India and the Caribbean are unlike what he has grown up on in New Zealand, but the experiences in India and bowling against quality batsmen will do a world of good for the 22-year-old.
Bracewell, with unflattering figures of 1/88 in the first Test, said he was unperturbed by his last performance.
“I just try to worry about my own game and my stuff. If one of those guys takes my place (for the second Test) I’m sure they’ll do a good job. If it happens it happens,” the Kiwi remarked with refreshing candour, here on Wednesday.
Bracewell, who relies heavily on pace and hits the deck hard, hoped the overcast conditions, which has covered Bengaluru over the last few days, will work to the visitors’ advantage.
“Looking at the wicket, there looks to be a little grass but they’ll definitely shave it off and keep it as dry as they can. But at the moment it looks quite nice and I think this overcast weather is also helping us. If it stays like this it might work in our favour a little,” he noted.
The pacer, though, reckoned that pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium would play the same as it did in Hyderabad, where the India spinners R. Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha created havoc.
“Talking to the guys who have played here, apparently it is quite similar (to Hyderabad) and takes a bit of turn. That wasn’t your typical Bunsen burner wicket but it took a little bit of turn.
“It’s tough being 1-0 down in a two match series. We’ve got to forget that game, take all the positives we can. We’ve got to go all out in this game and try and get to one-all.”