Yorkers can stop McCullum: Bracewell on New Zealand teammate

The Indian Premier League opens up opportunity where foreign cricketers can share trade secrets about their countrymates with IPL colleagues and upcoming New Zealand pacer Doug Bracewell can tell you a thing or two about how to bowl to Brendon McCullum or Ross Taylor.

"In any form of cricket, a pacer should have a few 'go-to' deliveries, which can trouble the batsmen. If you talk about Brendon, he is such a power-hitter that an ideal delivery for him would be a yorker," the 21-year-old Bracewell, who has taken 30 wickets in seven Tests, told PTI during an interaction at the Ferozshah Kotla ground here.

He has been bought by the Delhi Daredevils for USD 50,000 and the Black Caps' pacer isn't complaining.

"Frankly speaking, I never expected to be picked in the first place but when I was bought by the Dardevils during the second round, I was thrilled. I have spoken to senior guys like Brendon, Vettori as they have loads of experience of playing in the IPL as well as touring with national squad," Bracewell said.

Given a chance in the playing XI, Bracewell would like to forge a successful new-ball partnership with Morne Morkel. "I admire Morne a lot. He is a world-class bowler and it would be nice to pick his brains on bowling in these conditions. Also when you have someone of Virender Sehwag's calibre, you would like to learn from him too," said Bracewell.

The medium pacer's claim to fame was his match-winning second innings figures of 6/40 against Australia at Hobart last year and he knows that there will always be pressure to repeat that performance.

"That was a different format and T20 is a different ball game. That day in Hobart, the conditions helped the bowlers. During the break on the final day, our coach John Wright told me, that I was doing the right thing and should continue doing that. In cricket, you need to keep things simple and not complicate it too much. The main things is self belief," Bracewell feels.

Bracewell is the nephew of former New Zealand off-spinner John Bracewell who played 41 Test matches in the 80's but by his own admission, Bracewell Senior didn't have much role in his cricket career.

"Uncle John is busy with his commitments with Gloucestershire county and we haven't spoken much about cricket," he stated before joining his mates in the dug-out.