KEY POINTS:
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori gave his under-fire coach John Bracewell some heartfelt support yesterday.
It's been a tough week for Bracewell after his erroneous insinuations over the absence of Australian star Adam Gilchrist for today's deciding Chappell Hadlee Trophy match at Bellerive Oval.
Gilchrist is resting as part of Cricket Australia's rotation policy; on Monday, Bracewell hinted there were other reasons for his absence.
But with the fur flying in New Zealand over Bracewell's verbal performance, Vettori stepped up on behalf of the embattled former test allrounder.
"I really enjoy his style," he said. "He's one of the few guys who has challenged me over all my years of playing. I've had him for five or six years now and on a youth tour.
"Sometimes when you become a senior player you almost get a free pass. You never get that with Braces. He's always wanting you to improve and learn."
He was reluctant to ponder how Bracewell was perceived in the public eye, other than to suggest people didn't like his style.
"But anyone who has got to know him over a period of time has seen where he's coming from and what he's trying to get out of players."
