Cricket: Michael Bracewell’s Ireland rescue rated best ODI innings of 2022

Michael Bracewell after leading the Black Caps to a one-wicket win over Ireland. Photo /Getty

Michael Bracewell’s stunning 127 not out that rescued the Black Caps from a first ODI defeat to Ireland has been voted the ODI innings of the year by cricketing bible Wisden.

In one of the great match-saving innings for New Zealand, Bracewell near-singlehandedly won the game for the Black Caps in July, with his century knock including all of the required 20 off the final over to pull off a one-wicket victory.

At 217-8 chasing 301 for victory, it looked a formality for Ireland, only for Bracewell to smash his maiden ODI century and secure a famous win.

“Over the years, when cricket writers of the future will sit down to list impossible chases in the ‘middle format’ of cricket, Bracewell’s name will come up, time and again,” Wisden’s Abhishek Mukherjee wrote.

“It was a special performance, but also because it typified ODIs, where batters have to optimise risks and pace innings with an eye on the wickets and another on the balls over a sustained period of time.

“It was not just a great innings but also one that makes ODI cricket feel special,” Mukherjee added.

A stunning match-winning century from No.7 💯

Michael Bracewell's incredible 127* (82) - which helped rescue New Zealand from 120-5 to chase 301 against Ireland - is Wisden's men's ODI innings of the year 🥇 pic.twitter.com/gSQoDso1Of

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 29, 2022

Jos Buttler’s 162 off 70 balls against Netherlands was rated the second-best innings of 2022, while Tom Latham’s superb 145 not out against India at Eden Park didn’t crack the top five.

Bracewell’s 127 came off 82 balls with seven sixes.

Needing 20 off the final over, with New Zealand down to their last wicket, Bracewell went four, four, six, four, six to win it with a ball to spare.

But there was also all the work that Bracewell had done just to get New Zealand in that final over position.

New Zealand looked out of the match at 120-5 and equally so at 217-8 before Bracewell and Lockie Ferguson put on 64 for the ninth wicket.

Bracewell scored 76 of the remaining 88 runs with the 24 off the 50th over the most ever when successfully chasing a total to win an ODI.

Before the game on July 11, not only had the Black Caps never lost to Ireland, their games had never been close in the previous four meetings.