Bracewell hopes to return to fold

Fourteen years on after first representing the Wairarapa senior men's cricket team while a student at Rathkeale College Paul Bracewell is hoping to return to the fold during the 2008-09 season.
Bracewell, 32, has been named in the 17-strong Wairarapa squad to prepare for the first of the Hawke Cup elimination and Chapple Cup one-day games against Hawke's Bay in Masterton early next month and makes no secret of his desire to again play for the province.
"Yes, I would love the chance to be part of the Wairarapa team. It's something I'm definitely aiming for," he said yesterday.
Bracewell is playing his club cricket for Wairarapa College, taking over from Wairarapa captain Sam Curtis as the only adult player in their line-up.
It was an easy decision for him to make as the college side is coached by his father Doug Bracewell, a top sportsman himself who played for Wairarapa and Central Districts at cricket and Wairarapa-Bush at rugby.
Which means, of course, Paul Bracewell is a nephew of current Blacks Cap coach and former international John Bracewell, Brendon Bracewell, who played for Wairarapa at cricket before going on to spearhead the New Zealand pace attack and Mark Bracewell, who, like Doug, played for Wairarapa at cricket and Wairarapa-Bush at rugby.
On leaving Rathkeale College Paul Bracewell continued to make waves on the cricketing scene, representing North Harbour, Auckland A and New Zealand Universities but family and work commitments led to him taking a break from the sport in 2003 and this is his comeback year.
An all-rounder who bowls off spin and bats in the middle order, Paul Bracewell's return to Wairarapa is timely as he seems the logical contender to fill the spot vacated by Englishman Chad Yates, who is now playing in his home country. He was a shining light with both bat and ball last season.
Paul Bracewell, however, is not taking selection for granted, saying that the first priority was to show the sort of form in club games which warranted him being chosen to compete at the higher level.
"I need to be performing consistently well, that's the key to it," he said.