Cricket: Bracewell helps bowl over Scotland with form of old

Doug Bracewell.

It was the Bracewell show in Edinburgh yesterday after New Zealand A beat Scotland by 97 runs to open an unassailable 2-0 lead on their cricket tour.

Doug Bracewell took four scalps for 50 runs while cousin Michael Bracewell made a maiden List A century with 106 runs at Grange Cricket Club ground in the 50-over match.

Sharpies Driving Range Taradale CC allrounder Doug, of Napier, removed Scotland's opening batsmen H Munsey and C MacLeod for ducks, trapping the former lbw and skittling the furniture of the other as the hosts fell shy in trying to chase down the Kiwis' total of 369-6.

Devon Hotel Central Districts coach Heinrich Malan said last night it was no surprise the Stags allrounder was doing well on tour.

"I spoke to Dougie today and he's really excited so he'll just keep pushing upwards," Malan said, hoping Bracewell would bring that form to the domestic arena this summer.

Bracewell has taken nine wickets to date in the series, which included matches against the county sides.

Match reports from the NZ A support staff, he said, stated Bracewell's bowling was much better than the statistics reflected.

That didn't surprise Malan, who said Bracewell was doing a full circle after having put in stellar performances for the Black Caps.

The cricketer's form slid with a series of off-field drinking episodes that saw New Zealand Cricket dropping him from their contracted list of players.

"Dougie's young. He's only 23," Malan said, adding Bracewell was equally adept with a bat so, hopefully, he would get the opportunity to put his hand up there to impress the selectors on his allround ability.

In NZ A's innings yesterday, Grant Elliott carved up an unbeaten 103, his second consecutive one in as many one-dayers against Scotland in Edinburgh.

Hamish Bennett and Daryl Mitchell also chipped in with two wickets each to help restrict the hosts to 272 all out in 47.5 overs.

Having won the toss and opted to bat, New Zealand opener Hamish Rutherford (98) looked set for another ton but fell in the 34th over.

Michael Bracewell scored at a steady rate initially but following his half century began a full-scale assault on the Scotland bowlers, reaching his century off 86 balls.

However, ex-Black Cap Elliott was in a bolshie mood from the outset, crushing 13 fours and two sixes to make an unbeaten 103 off just 51 balls.

Scotland's Hamish Gardiner made a valiant 82, while Majid Haq and Richie Berrington added 54 and 50, respectively.

The run-rate pressure mounted with Anton Devcich's run out sealing the fate of the hosts.