Worcestershire Rapids 2023 Vitality Blast overseas signing, Michael Bracewell, produced a fantastic display of hitting with TEN sixes for New Zealand in their opening ODI with India in Hyderabad.
Bracewell and another Rapids Blast signing in, Mitchell Santner, added 162 in just 17 overs for the seventh wicket to almost pull off a remarkable victory for the Black Caps.
They came together at 131-6 in reply to India’s 349-8 and turned the game on its head with Bracewell again demonstrating the kind of explosive form Rapids fans will be looking forward to this summer.
He brought his 50 up with a six – from 31 balls – with a pull off Shardul Thakur.
Bracewell also went to three figures with another maximum – from 57 deliveries – as he smashed Mohammed Shami over the wide long on boundary.
Santner gave him excellent support and scored freely in completing a 38-ball half-century.
India were powerless to stem the run onslaught until Santner, having made 57 with one six and seven fours, was caught at deep mid-wicket off a top edge against Mohammed Siraj.
Bracewell continued to pepper the boundary to keep New Zealand’s hopes alive before he went lbw to the second ball of the final over from Thakur with the total on 337.
His 140 was a List A and ODI personal best, and he also struck 12 fours in his 78-ball knock with a strike rate of 179.48.
Bracewell said: “We were just trying to give ourselves a chance. We managed to get a partnership, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
“It’s early on in my international career, so I don’t have a lot of footage of these bowlers, but I try to get a feel of what they bowl.
“Once Mitchell and I got ourselves settled, we weren’t talking too much about winning; we wanted to take it deep and give ourselves a chance.
“We wanted to have a good crack, and you need to back yourselves with 20 needed off the last over. The bowlers did well in that period (after I got my hundred) with their yorkers. Credit to them.”
New Zealand captain, Tom Latham, said: “Bracewell’s was an amazing innings. The situation of the game and then play an innings like that, needing 12 off four, to put is in that situation, was outstanding.
“We’ve seen it from him before. The partnership between Bracewell and Santner was great.”
