Cricket: Miffed coach plays questions with dead bat

John Bracewell

It's fair to say that the coach of New Zealand is not best pleased with some of the sentiments expressed in this literary flophouse, if the present mood is any gauge.

A pall of thunder hovered over John Bracewell's head during a brief interview in Adelaide yesterday afternoon and it's no exaggeration to suggest the New Zealand media were encouraged to keep their questions to a minimum.

Whether the coach's ire was provoked by his team's feeble performance against Australia at Sydney on Sunday night, or by a New Zealand newspaper article alleging rebellion in the ranks, is unclear - but what's certain is that the tension within the team has now reached management level.

Bracewell, whose team needs to beat England this evening at the Adelaide Oval to arrest a startling decline, was in one of his more obdurate moods yesterday - initially failing to turn up to an organised press conference at Sydney airport, and then doing his best to short-circuit proceedings in Adelaide.

When he finally made an appearance, the man who normally talks in thousand word sentences was reticent in the extreme.

Bracewell had been asked whether there was any merit in the claim that some of his players were confused and annoyed about his selection policies, and the discussion proceeded as follows.

Reporter: Are the players nervous or lacking in confidence?

Bracewell: Not at all.

Reporter: There's been talk of rebellion in the ranks. Are the players happy?

Bracewell: You'd have to ask the players that.

Reporter: So you have no concerns about the mood of the players?

Bracewell: You'd have to ask them that.

Reporter: But do you detect anything in the camp?

Bracewell: You'd have to ask the players that.

Reporter: How would you describe the team's morale?

Bracewell: I don't think there's anything wrong with the morale but you'd have to ask the players that.

Reporter: But how do you think the players are taking it?

Bracewell: No, I'd rather you ask the players.