Cricket: All in the name for Bracewell dynasty

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Most cricket fans know the story of the Bracewell cricketing clan - the four brothers (Doug, Mark, John and Brendon) who all played first-class cricket - and Doug Bracewell (son of Brendon) announced his coming with that bravura display against Australia late last year. But who is Michael Bracewell?

Doug was the star of New Zealand's recent test wins in Bulawayo and Hobart with crucial five- and six-wicket bags but Michael (son of Mark) is also making a name for himself at Otago as the next Bracewell generation begins to make its mark on New Zealand cricket. His latest achievement is getting picked by John Wright to open for the New Zealand XI against Zimbabwe in the three-day warm-up match at Gisborne which started yesterday.

Michael (20) is four and a half months younger than Doug (21) with the pair playing in the New Zealand under-19 team in the age group World Cup two years ago. They are set to create their own legacy like their respective fathers and uncles.

Left-hander Michael has played for the University-Grange club in Dunedin and came to prominence as a 19-year-old, bludgeoning 151 off 136 balls, including 17 fours and five sixes, to guide his club to the 2010 national club finals over Auckland's Parnell.

Those in cricketing circles described him as an unselfish team man - which will appeal to the ethos coach Wright is trying to breed.

Bracewell is understood to have caught Wright's attention after making 95 off 135 balls in just under three hours which, along with 37 in the second innings, helped Otago to a six-wicket win over Canterbury in the 2011-12 season opener. However, his free-flowing stroke play on a traditionally flat pitch at Rangiora was tempered by less auspicious knocks against Wellington at the Basin Reserve (3 and 2) on a wicket with more life. He also scored a duck against Zimbabwe yesterday.

He is thought to have a predilection for hooking high rather than low which could see an astute captain set a catching trap at long and backward square legs.

Auckland and Canterbury opening bat contenders like Rob Nicol, George Worker and Martin Guptill are out of action for the Zimbabwe game because of today's HRV Cup final.

But Bracewell rates higher in Wright's view than those examined in the past (Craig Cumming, Tim McIntosh, Aaron Redmond, Jamie How, Michael Papps) and contenders for the future (Wellington's Josh Brodie and Northern Districts' Brad Wilson).

Doug Bracewell senior, now 59, was an off-spin bowler who played 26 first-class matches for Canterbury and Central Districts, taking 43 wickets at an average of over 36.

Mark Bracewell, now 56, was a right-handed batsman who played one match for Otago.

John Bracewell, the best known of the brothers, was a pugnacious off-spinner and, late in his career, a sturdy test bat who played 41 tests (one test century) and who stands high on the New Zealand all-time bowling list with 102 test wickets, including a career-best six for 32. He took five wickets in a match four times and 10 wickets once.

Brendon Bracewell, now 52, was a fiery medium-fast bowler who took 14 wickets in six tests before his troublesome back got the better of him.