Richard Boock: Bracewell's touch to date - nine wins, two losses

COMMENT

Just as in his Gloucester days, John Bracewell hasn't wasted any time turning around New Zealand's one-day fortunes.

The man who steered the West County to seven titles in six years had his share of critics when he took over the New Zealand job last year at a time when the team's one-day game was sliding into disarray.

There were those who could remember only the hot-headed off-spinner who played 41 tests for New Zealand in the 1980s, and others who believed Denis Aberhart had achieved enough to retain the job.

But the results have spoken for themselves since the changeover; Bracewell masterminding a 4-1 series win over a blossoming Pakistan side and then coaching his side to a record-breaking 5-1 win over South Africa.

The excuses have come thick and fast from the tourists, everything from New Zealand's weather and pitches to the alleged mind games from opposition skipper Stephen Fleming, not to mention the intensive schedule and the associated injury toll.

The only thing they haven't really put their finger on is Bracewell, who continues to make waves in the shorter game and now must be considered one of the best one-day coaches in the world.

Just as he was cautious at the start of his term with Gloucester, Bracewell was conservative in his approach to the New Zealand assignment, as was demonstrated by his reluctance to drop opener Craig Cumming, who failed in his first eight matches.

As New Zealand's first coach-cum- chief selector since Glenn Turner nine years ago, he had the power and influence to turn the side upside-down after his appointment, but showed his canny side by sitting back and observing.

When he did decide to act, his decisions were vindicated almost immediately, as Michael Papps proved a far more effective option at the top of the order, and seamer Michael Mason quickly impressed.

In fact, Bracewell did his homework so well that not only did the pair come through their first taste of international cricket with flying colours, they made enough of an impact to be included in the test team.

Of the New Zealanders who were involved in most of the one-day internationals against South Africa, Papps topped the batting averages after scoring a couple of tidy double-centuries, heading off Scott Styris, Fleming and Chris Cairns, despite playing one less game.

And Mason, the outstanding bowler of the domestic competition, carried his form straight into the one-day series, making the most of the sporting conditions at Napier and also impressing at Carisbrook.

In mitigation for South Africa, they would have been knocked off their stride by New Zealand's tempestuous and sometimes polar weather, and appeared to have little appreciation of how to approach rain-affected and shortened games.

Say what you like about their formidable record before the tour, the South Africans appeared to be psyched out on several occasions in New Zealand, and notably during the build-up to the third and fourth matches at Wellington and Dunedin.

The other area of complete confusion for Graeme Smith's men involved the character of the drop-in pitches at Eden Park and Jade Stadium, and the question of whether to bat or bowl first.

Smith got it all wrong in the second match at Christchurch when he was fooled by the impeccable presentation of the pitch, and made a similar mistake with the in-ground wicket at Napier, when he batted first instead of bowling.

In contrast, the New Zealanders never left a stone unturned under Bracewell's stewardship, taking nothing for granted in terms of the weather, and ensuring that they were ready to play as soon as the skies cleared.

In fact, not since the reign of Steve Rixon has a New Zealand side worked so hard off the field, whether in practice or net situations, or in their analysis of the opposition and the development of tactics.

And the culture is sure to continue into the upcoming test series, especially as South Africa are hurting from the earlier losses, and will be anxious to demonstrate that the one-day setback was merely a hiccup.

There will also be a point to prove for Bracewell, who has been effectively pigeon-holed as a one-day expert after his success with Gloucester, and will be determined to prove that he is just as effective in the longer game.

It might be 20 years since he was digging graves for the Dunedin City Council, but he would doubtless enjoy digging one more before the end of the month - for the South Africans.