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New Zealand are determined to send controversial coach John Bracewell out as a winner in Friday’s second Test against Australia, with the former off-spinner to be replaced by English-born Andy Moles.
The Black Caps announced the appointment of former Warwickshire batsman Moles on Tuesday as they arrived in Adelaide keen to make amends for their 149-run defeat in the first Test at the Gabba.
“We have mutually agreed that John would step down after the Australian series, allowing Andy to take up the role during a home season rather than on the road,” Cricket New Zealand chief Justin Vaughan said.
New Zealand host the West Indies next month.
But with a potential drop to eighth on the Test rankings with defeat in Adelaide, ahead of only Bangladesh, vice-captain Brendon McCullum says the Kiwis need to focus on the positives of their Brisbane performance.
Some observers have described Bracewell’s coaching methods as eccentric and it hasn’t always pleased the players, but McCullum preferred to call him “passionate”.
“I really admire what he has done. I have immense respect for that,” McCullum told reporters today at Adelaide Oval.
“He comes over to the media as probably having an aggressive nature … he fights for the team in that regard.
“He is very much different with us than what he displays in public.”
Bracewell’s five-year stint as coach included leading the Black Caps to the semi-finals of last year’s Caribbean World Cup.
The coach’s siege-mentality approach attracted the ire of Australia’s king of sledging, Shane Warne.
Bracewell had accused Australian captain Ricky Ponting of slowing the game down during a crowd disturbance in Wellington, and warned Australian quick Brett Lee he could face court action over some head-high full tosses.
Bracewell questioned a late switch of pitches at the Gabba for a one-day game and felt the Hawkeye TV replay system was being used to suit the Australians.
“To be a player they must be feeling pretty nervous every time he comes to the press. If he’s going to say some ridiculous stuff like he did last time it would be a bit ordinary,” Warne said in 2005.
McCullum admitted it was “disappointing” that NSW Sheffield Shield-winning coach Matt Mott had turned down the New Zealand job.
“Just my friendship with him as well (Mott was McCullum’s assistant coach in this year’s Indian Premier League), it would have been great to have him involved,” McCullum said.
McCullum defended his skipper Daniel Vettori, who was captured on television on Monday giving an angry response to an inquisitive reporter.
McCullum said Vettori faced a tough task.
“Barring Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe, we’ve probably always struggled for those really, really world-class players,” he said.
Australia have the luxury of recalling off-spinner Jason Krejza, who was dumped for the first Test after taking 12 wickets on debut on the recent Indian tour.
“We’ll play it ball by ball. Our guys will want to get a sighter of him because we have only seen him on video,” Bracewell told NZPA.
Offspinner Jeetan Patel is likely to come into the side to partner slow left-armer Vettori.
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