By IANS
Adelaide : New Zealand high performance guru John Wright said that coach John Bracewell has his support, but people back home will always focus on results.
A report in Adelaide Advertiser quoted Wright as saying that success is imperative for New Zealand and Bracewell in the Chappell-Hadlee Series, comprising three-match one-day matches and it starts here Friday.
The Kiwis have tasted little joy in the Test arena under Bracewell’s four-year stint and the side led by Daniel Vettori is under pressure to retain the series.
“In the end, the team and captain have to get results as they go against your name. From purely cricket and commercial reasons, it is important we are competitive against Australia in these three Chappell-Hadlee games,” Wright, who had a five-year stint as the India coach, was quoted as saying by the daily.
New Zealand’s legendary batsman Martin Crowe opposed eccentric Bracewell’s re-appointment for two years as coach in July. Crowe was concerned by the manner of New Zealand’s thrashings against Sri Lanka and Australia that dealt a semi-final exit at the World Cup in the West Indies.
Wright, who is likely to replace Bracewell, appreciates the challenge confronting his former teammate after crushing Test and one-day series defeats against dominant South Africa.
“Coaching New Zealand isn’t the easiest job,” said Wright in support of Bracewell, who has yielded nine wins in 29 Tests, including six against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the West Indies.