Cricket: Bracewell has them guessing

Coach John Bracewell (left), captain Stephen Fleming (centre) and Chris Cairns at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. Picture / Reuters

Say what you like about John Bracewell, but he's not scared of putting his neck on the line.

The New Zealand coach was at again it again yesterday when he broke ranks with tradition and effectively cancelled his side's final practice before tonight's second limited-over international against Australia.

Already 1-0 up in the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series, the New Zealanders surprised everyone at the Sydney Cricket Ground by forgoing their practice and instead having a huddled meeting in the middle of the arena before leaving after 30 minutes.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming explained that Bracewell believed there was more to gain from giving the players time to think deeply about tonight's showdown, than yet another net session with the same old routines.

"John's very keen on keeping the team fresh and part of that is a type of shock treatment in reverse, ensuring the guys are thinking about the game rather than just going through the motions," Fleming said.

"He didn't want us turning up, bowling or batting in the nets, and doing the same things we've been doing all tour."

Fleming said he thought it was a great idea to surprise the players and encourage them to pay more attention to the mental aspects of their preparation, particularly at the end of a trying and demanding tour.

It was another sign of the creative thinking that Bracewell had introduced to the operation, and a move that reinforced the players' sense of responsibility and ownership in the team, not to mention allowing more time for bodies to mend.

"I think it's a good tactic to get guys thinking about their cricket," he said. "We played well in the last game, and now it's a matter of thinking about what we need to do and not falling into the trap of just having a net and feeling good about ourselves.

"In some ways, because we've been trying so hard to find that missing ingredient on this trip, we're almost netted out."

One of the complicating factors about tonight's ODI is the Sydney weather forecast, which has been warning of heavy and persistent rain, and raising the possibility of a shortened match, or a Duckworth-Lewis-revised result.

Fleming said the pitch looked like a traditionally slow SCG surface, not necessarily one that became more difficult as the game wore on and made chasing difficult, but nothing like the pace at Brisbane or Perth.

However, the uncertainty about the weather and the pitch persuaded the team management to name a squad of 12 last night, with Chris Harris being added to the XI who beat Australia by four wickets at Melbourne on Sunday.

"It may work in Harry's favour because, in a game that might be a bit scrappy because it's low and slow, you've got to use all your resources," Fleming said. "So Harry's batting might become a factor.

"Then again, if we end up with a 30-over contest, you might want Ian Butler in as a strike bowler."

Asked whether he thought Australia would be a bit "edgy", considering they have to win to keep the series alive, Fleming said it was only natural that they would respond strongly to a sudden-death scenario.

"Well, you should be [anxious] when you lose the first game of a three-match series."

The squads

NEW ZEALAND (from) Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler

AUSTRALIA Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Michael Clarke, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson