Bracewell happy with artisan tag

John Bracewell heaped praise on Lord's centurion Jacob Oram © Getty Images

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New Zealand coach John Bracewell is unconcerned with the ‘workmanlike’ tag pinned upon the tourists as they build towards the second npower Test against England.

Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori chuckled in response to Michael Vaughan’s branding of England’s opponents last week.

But Bracewell took it as a compliment as he prepares his side for the second game of the three-match series at Old Trafford, following the draw at Lord’s.

New Zealand trailed by only 42 runs on first innings despite contrasting batting conditions, were resolute second time around and offered the most entertaining viewing by virtue of the batting of Brendon McCullum and Jacob Oram.

“Workmanlike, yeah, but having said that, Jacob’s and Brendon’s innings showed a little bit of style and class as well,” Bracewell said.

“I certainly don’t mind that tag and crafting out results - there is nothing wrong with a good work ethic.

“We had to be prised out on the last day, which is something we’ve been looking for over the last couple of years.”

And Bracewell believes the buzz created amongst the young New Zealand squad at Lord’s has travelled with them up north.

“The adventure of England in itself still has that traditional tag as the tour of choice,” said Bracewell.

“It still has a number of warm-up games, you go on the coach everywhere rather than jet in and out of places, and the pace of it gives you that opportunity to bond as a team in a relatively safe environment.

“New Zealanders still relish this as the tour to be on, so it is tough to get a place on the coach via performances in our domestic season.”

Brendon McCullum is set to feature at Old Trafford despite taking a blow to his left arm on Monday

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Left-hander Oram, who hit 101 on the final day to confirm England’s fifth consecutive stalemate at Lord’s, overcame adversity in impressive fashion, having endured a torrid time with the bat over the past couple of years.

But a slight change in technique - he kept his hands further back rather than push out at the ball - helped exorcise the demons encouraged by Ryan Sidebottom, who has dismissed him five times in six Test innings.

“As you get doubts, often you can almost get into a crunched down position and therefore you have no levers to strike the ball anyway,” Bracewell said.

“Jake felt a lot more comfortable with the set-up and he demonstrated that with his intent.”

Wicketkeeper McCullum had a “puffy” forearm to show for the blow he took from a Stuart Broad delivery on Monday, but the swelling, which had not taken its full effect when he surprisingly returned to the crease against team advice, did not hamper him.

Of McCullum’s willingness to return to the action once given the all-clear by an X-ray - despite the plan to hold him back - Bracewell said: “I have not really gone into the psychology of it all but you always want to go with a volunteer rather than a pressed man.”

Meanwhile, teenage seamer Tim Southee did not join his colleagues at the net session due to a bout of sickness.