Nathan Bracken
Encyclopedia
Nathan Wade Bracken is a former Australian cricketer
. A tall left-arm fast-medium
bowler, Bracken is capable of swinging the ball both ways. He has represented Australia in all forms of the game. Bracken represented New South Wales
in Australian domestic cricket, Eastern Suburbs in Sydney Grade Cricket
and also appeared for English County
team Gloucestershire
in 2004. On 28 January 2011 he announced his retirement from the game due to a chronic knee injury.
, New South Wales
to parents Gordon and Robin. He spent his childhood living in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, attending Faulconbridge Primary and Springwood High School
. He currently resides on the Central Coast
of New South Wales
and is married to Haley Rich-Bracken with whom he has a child named Chase. He is also studying for an undergraduate degree in communications.
, Bracken made his first-class
debut for New South Wales
against Queensland
on 27 October 1998 at Manuka Oval
, Canberra
. New South Wales were beaten by an innings and Bracken finished with figures of 0/86 off 41 overs. He played 5 more first-class matches in the 1998–99 season and finished with 11 wickets at a respectable average of 30.36. The 1999–00 season saw Bracken only play one match, however the 2000–01 season was one of great success for Bracken. He finished the season as New South Wales second leading wicket-taker behind Stuart MacGill
with 29 wickets at 23.72. As a result of his outstanding season he was rewarded with a place in the Australian squad for the 2001 Ashes tour
, a Cricket Australia contract and won the 2001 Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award.
After recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained on the 2001 Ashes tour, Bracken played 8 matches for New South Wales in the 2001–02 season. He had a successful season once again, claiming 24 wickets at 31.79 and finishing behind Stuart Clark
as the second leading wicket taker for New South Wales. 2002–03 was a season that saw Bracken struggle as he only took 16 wickets in 6 matches at a rather expensive 36.62. 2003–04 saw Bracken make his Test debut and as a result, he appeared less frequently for New South Wales. Despite this, he still performed well in the 4 matches he participated in, taking 16 wickets at 24.75. Following this season, Bracken was signed by Gloucestershire
to play in the English first-class competition as a replacement for Mike Smith. Bracken only played 2 matches for the club, however he was quite successful and took 5 wickets at 21.20 with best figures of 2/12 coming against Lancashire
.
2004–05 was Bracken's best season for New South Wales to date. He played in all 11 matches and took 43 wickets at an average of 18.79. The season contained a number of memorable performances by Bracken including a phenomenal spell of 7/4 off 7 overs to help dismiss South Australia
for a mere 29 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground
on 2 December 2004. The figures were Bracken's best ever at the time, and are amongst the most impressive figures seen in Australian domestic cricket history. He also played an enormous part in New South Wales' thrilling 1 wicket win in the final against Queensland
, winning Man of the Match. Bracken claimed 6/27 in 13.2 overs to help bowl out Queensland for 102 in their first innings and took an important 2/54 in their second innings. To add to this, Bracken scored an invaluable 11* to guide his team home to their target of 183 after New South Wales were 9/161, still needing 22 for victory. 2005–06 saw a return to the Test team for Bracken and as a result, fewer matches for New South Wales. Bracken still performed strongly in his few games, taking 13 wickets at 17.53. After only playing 2 matches in the 2006–07 season, the Blues enjoyed Bracken's services in their Pura Cup
winning 2007–08 season as he appeared in the final and took 22 wickets at 21.22 during the season.
against the now defunct Canberra Comets
on 31 October 1998 at Manuka Oval
, Canberra
. New South Wales won the match and Bracken was rather economical taking 0/19 off his 5 overs. After a Man of the Match performance against Queensland
in the semi-final of the Mercantile Mutual Cup, Bracken was selected in the New South Wales team to meet Victoria
in the final in only his 5th List A game. Bracken was economical, taking 0/28 off his 10 overs however New South Wales still lost the final by 39 runs.
After only playing one match in the 1999–00 season, the 2000–01 season proved to be a successful one for Bracken as he made his One Day International debut and helped New South Wales to win the Mercantile Mutual Cup. Bracken took 11 wickets at an average of 25.00, including figures of 2/43 in the final against Western Australia
. He continued his good form into the 2001–02 season, helping New South Wales claim their second consecutive One Day title, this time over Queensland
. Bracken took 18 wickets at 21.88 during the season, which included his best List A performance to date, as he took 5/38 against Victoria
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. 2002–03 was another successful season for both Bracken and New South Wales, as the Blues recorded their third consecutive domestic One Day title and Bracken claimed 15 scalps at 23.66. Bracken was once again a leading performer in the final, taking 2/35 off his 10 overs as New South Wales cruised to a 7 wicket win.
After three seasons of success, Bracken struggled for New South Wales in both the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons taking 3 wickets at 76.33 and 7 wickets at 44.71 respectively. International commitments left Bracken out of the side for a large majority of the 2005–06 One Day season, however he performed well in his limited appearances, claiming 5 wickets at 21.60. Once again, Bracken's international duties kept him out of a large majority of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons and he took 3 wickets at 54.33 and 5 wickets at 37.80 respectively.
in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
as a replacement for the injured Glenn McGrath
. In a drawn Test, Bracken had a respectable debut Test claiming 1/90 off 26 overs in the first innings and 2/12 off 4 overs in the second. Despite this, Bracken was dropped for Western Australian paceman Brad Williams for the Second Test at Adelaide
. The selectors chose Bracken ahead of Andrew Bichel for the final two Tests and in a drawn series that saw most bowlers struggle, he finished with 6 wickets at 58.50.
Due to the strength of fast bowling in Australia, Bracken was kept out of the Test team for nearly 2 years until he was selected in the Australian side for the 1st Test of the 2005–06 Frank Worrell Trophy
against the West Indies
in Brisbane
. It was in this match that Bracken recorded both his best Test batting and bowling performances to date. In Australia's first innings he struck 37 off 51 balls and in the West Indians' second innings, Bracken claimed figures of 4/48 off 16 overs including the wickets of Brian Lara
and Shivnarine Chanderpaul
. Despite this good all-round performance, leg spinner Stuart MacGill
was favoured by the selectors for the remaining Tests in the series. In December 2005, Bracken played the 1st Test against South Africa at the WACA Ground
before once again being dropped in favour of Stuart MacGill
.
Bracken has not played another Test since then due to the rise of Stuart Clark
and Mitchell Johnson
however in February 2008 he claimed that he was still eager to claim a spot in the Test team. Bracken is considered unlucky by many for his lack of Test starts given his one-day form – leading to comparisons with Michael Bevan
.
Bracken later announced he would quit from all forms of international cricket on 29 January 2011 due to a knee injury.
at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
, 4 December 2003 (cap 387).
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
, 11 January 2001 (cap 142).
at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
, 9 January 2006 (cap 14).
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
. A tall left-arm fast-medium
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
bowler, Bracken is capable of swinging the ball both ways. He has represented Australia in all forms of the game. Bracken represented New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in Australian domestic cricket, Eastern Suburbs in Sydney Grade Cricket
Sydney Grade Cricket
Sydney Grade Cricket is a cricket competition played in Sydney, Australia. The competition began in 1893 when a number of clubs, which had been playing for many years on an ad hoc basis, voted to create a formal competition structure....
and also appeared for English County
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
team Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
in 2004. On 28 January 2011 he announced his retirement from the game due to a chronic knee injury.
Early and personal life
Nathan Bracken was born in PenrithPenrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to parents Gordon and Robin. He spent his childhood living in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, attending Faulconbridge Primary and Springwood High School
Springwood High School
Springwood High School is a public high school situated in the City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Despite its name, geographically the school is actually in Faulconbridge. The school was established in 1967. Its motto is "Press Onward."-Description:...
. He currently resides on the Central Coast
Central Coast, New South Wales
The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....
of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and is married to Haley Rich-Bracken with whom he has a child named Chase. He is also studying for an undergraduate degree in communications.
First-class cricket
After a stint at the Australian Cricket AcademyAustralian Cricket Academy
The Australian Cricket Academy, originally located at Henley Beach in Adelaide, was formed in 1987 as a joint initiative of the Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Cricket Board . It was designed to be a finishing school for leading young cricketers and is a program within the AIS...
, Bracken made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
on 27 October 1998 at Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval is a 13,550 capacity ground located in the suburb of Griffith, adjacent to Manuka, a business district of Canberra, Australia's capital....
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. New South Wales were beaten by an innings and Bracken finished with figures of 0/86 off 41 overs. He played 5 more first-class matches in the 1998–99 season and finished with 11 wickets at a respectable average of 30.36. The 1999–00 season saw Bracken only play one match, however the 2000–01 season was one of great success for Bracken. He finished the season as New South Wales second leading wicket-taker behind Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
with 29 wickets at 23.72. As a result of his outstanding season he was rewarded with a place in the Australian squad for the 2001 Ashes tour
Australian cricket team in England in 2001
-Second Test: 19 – 22 July 2001:-Third Test: 2 – 6 August 2001:Australia retained the Ashes with a seven-wicket victory over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge. England won the toss and chose to bat first, England needed to win the game to give them a outisde chance of winning the Ashes. But...
, a Cricket Australia contract and won the 2001 Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award.
After recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained on the 2001 Ashes tour, Bracken played 8 matches for New South Wales in the 2001–02 season. He had a successful season once again, claiming 24 wickets at 31.79 and finishing behind Stuart Clark
Stuart Clark
Stuart Rupert Clark is an Australian International cricketer who plays domestic cricket for the New South Wales Blues. He plays as a right-arm fast-medium bowler...
as the second leading wicket taker for New South Wales. 2002–03 was a season that saw Bracken struggle as he only took 16 wickets in 6 matches at a rather expensive 36.62. 2003–04 saw Bracken make his Test debut and as a result, he appeared less frequently for New South Wales. Despite this, he still performed well in the 4 matches he participated in, taking 16 wickets at 24.75. Following this season, Bracken was signed by Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
to play in the English first-class competition as a replacement for Mike Smith. Bracken only played 2 matches for the club, however he was quite successful and took 5 wickets at 21.20 with best figures of 2/12 coming against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
.
2004–05 was Bracken's best season for New South Wales to date. He played in all 11 matches and took 43 wickets at an average of 18.79. The season contained a number of memorable performances by Bracken including a phenomenal spell of 7/4 off 7 overs to help dismiss South Australia
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
for a mere 29 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
on 2 December 2004. The figures were Bracken's best ever at the time, and are amongst the most impressive figures seen in Australian domestic cricket history. He also played an enormous part in New South Wales' thrilling 1 wicket win in the final against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
, winning Man of the Match. Bracken claimed 6/27 in 13.2 overs to help bowl out Queensland for 102 in their first innings and took an important 2/54 in their second innings. To add to this, Bracken scored an invaluable 11* to guide his team home to their target of 183 after New South Wales were 9/161, still needing 22 for victory. 2005–06 saw a return to the Test team for Bracken and as a result, fewer matches for New South Wales. Bracken still performed strongly in his few games, taking 13 wickets at 17.53. After only playing 2 matches in the 2006–07 season, the Blues enjoyed Bracken's services in their Pura Cup
Pura Cup
The Sheffield Shield is the domestic cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Prior to the Shield being established, a number of intercolonial matches were played. The Shield, donated by Lord Sheffield, was first contested during...
winning 2007–08 season as he appeared in the final and took 22 wickets at 21.22 during the season.
List A cricket
Bracken made his List A debut for New South WalesNew South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
against the now defunct Canberra Comets
Canberra Comets
The ACT Comets are a cricket team that represent the Australian Capital Territory. They were participants in the Australian domestic limited-overs Mercantile Mutual Cup competition. They did not, however, field a team in the four-day Sheffield Shield competition...
on 31 October 1998 at Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval is a 13,550 capacity ground located in the suburb of Griffith, adjacent to Manuka, a business district of Canberra, Australia's capital....
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. New South Wales won the match and Bracken was rather economical taking 0/19 off his 5 overs. After a Man of the Match performance against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
in the semi-final of the Mercantile Mutual Cup, Bracken was selected in the New South Wales team to meet Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
in the final in only his 5th List A game. Bracken was economical, taking 0/28 off his 10 overs however New South Wales still lost the final by 39 runs.
After only playing one match in the 1999–00 season, the 2000–01 season proved to be a successful one for Bracken as he made his One Day International debut and helped New South Wales to win the Mercantile Mutual Cup. Bracken took 11 wickets at an average of 25.00, including figures of 2/43 in the final against Western Australia
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
. He continued his good form into the 2001–02 season, helping New South Wales claim their second consecutive One Day title, this time over Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
. Bracken took 18 wickets at 21.88 during the season, which included his best List A performance to date, as he took 5/38 against Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. 2002–03 was another successful season for both Bracken and New South Wales, as the Blues recorded their third consecutive domestic One Day title and Bracken claimed 15 scalps at 23.66. Bracken was once again a leading performer in the final, taking 2/35 off his 10 overs as New South Wales cruised to a 7 wicket win.
After three seasons of success, Bracken struggled for New South Wales in both the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons taking 3 wickets at 76.33 and 7 wickets at 44.71 respectively. International commitments left Bracken out of the side for a large majority of the 2005–06 One Day season, however he performed well in his limited appearances, claiming 5 wickets at 21.60. Once again, Bracken's international duties kept him out of a large majority of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons and he took 3 wickets at 54.33 and 5 wickets at 37.80 respectively.
Test cricket
Bracken made his Test debut for Australia on 4 December 2003 against IndiaIndian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
The Border–Gavaskar Trophy is a Test cricket series, played between India and Australia. It has witnessed some of the most competitive Test series played in recent years, with results usually either being a narrow win for one of the sides or a closely fought draw...
as a replacement for the injured Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
. In a drawn Test, Bracken had a respectable debut Test claiming 1/90 off 26 overs in the first innings and 2/12 off 4 overs in the second. Despite this, Bracken was dropped for Western Australian paceman Brad Williams for the Second Test at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. The selectors chose Bracken ahead of Andrew Bichel for the final two Tests and in a drawn series that saw most bowlers struggle, he finished with 6 wickets at 58.50.
Due to the strength of fast bowling in Australia, Bracken was kept out of the Test team for nearly 2 years until he was selected in the Australian side for the 1st Test of the 2005–06 Frank Worrell Trophy
Frank Worrell Trophy
The Frank Worrell Trophy is awarded for the winner of the West Indies - Australia Test match series in cricket.The trophy is named after the former West Indies captain Sir Frank Worrell, and was first awarded at the end of the 1960-61 series...
against the West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in Brisbane
Brisbane Cricket Ground
The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
. It was in this match that Bracken recorded both his best Test batting and bowling performances to date. In Australia's first innings he struck 37 off 51 balls and in the West Indians' second innings, Bracken claimed figures of 4/48 off 16 overs including the wickets of Brian Lara
Brian Lara
Brian Charles Lara, TC, OCC, AM is a former West Indian international cricket player. Lara is generally regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time...
and Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine "Shiv" Chanderpaul is a cricketer, and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean in the West Indies team to play 100 Tests for the West Indies and has captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals...
. Despite this good all-round performance, leg spinner Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
was favoured by the selectors for the remaining Tests in the series. In December 2005, Bracken played the 1st Test against South Africa at the WACA Ground
WACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
before once again being dropped in favour of Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
.
Bracken has not played another Test since then due to the rise of Stuart Clark
Stuart Clark
Stuart Rupert Clark is an Australian International cricketer who plays domestic cricket for the New South Wales Blues. He plays as a right-arm fast-medium bowler...
and Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson (cricketer)
Mitchell Guy Johnson is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman. He was awarded the International Cricket Council's 2009 "Cricketer of the Year" award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.-Career:...
however in February 2008 he claimed that he was still eager to claim a spot in the Test team. Bracken is considered unlucky by many for his lack of Test starts given his one-day form – leading to comparisons with Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
.
Bracken later announced he would quit from all forms of international cricket on 29 January 2011 due to a knee injury.
Tests
Test Debut: vs IndiaIndian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
Brisbane Cricket Ground
The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
, 4 December 2003 (cap 387).
- Bracken's 1st Test wicket was that of Virender SehwagVirender SehwagVirender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
, caught by Matthew HaydenMatthew HaydenMatthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
(1st match). - Bracken's best bowling figures of 4/48 off 16 overs came against the West Indies at the Brisbane Cricket GroundBrisbane Cricket GroundThe Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
, 6 November 2005 - Bracken's highest score of 37 came against the West Indies at the Brisbane Cricket GroundBrisbane Cricket GroundThe Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
, 4 November 2005
One Day Internationals
One Day International Debut: vs West IndiesWest Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, 11 January 2001 (cap 142).
- Bracken's 1st One Day International wicket was that of Sherwin CampbellSherwin CampbellSherwin Legay Campbell is a West Indian cricketer who played 52 Tests and 90 One Day Internationals for the West Indies. He has played a total of 177 first class games between 1990–91 and 2004–05, scoring more than 10,000 first class runs with 26 centuries...
, caught by Michael BevanMichael BevanMichael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
(1st match). - Bracken's 50th One Day International wicket was that of Sanath JayasuriyaSanath JayasuriyaSanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
, caught by Andrew SymondsAndrew SymondsAndrew Symonds is a former Australian cricket team all-rounder. A two-time World Cup winner, Symonds is a right-handed middle order batsman and alternates between medium pace and off-spin bowling....
(31st match). - Bracken's 100th One Day International wicket was that of Makhaya NtiniMakhaya NtiniMakhaya Ntini is a former South African cricketer who was the first ethnically black player to play for the South African team. A fast bowler, he tends to bowl from wide of the crease with brisk, although not express, pace...
, bowled (60th match). - Bracken's best bowling figures of 5/47 off 8.3 overs came against Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket teamThe Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
at the Sydney Cricket GroundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, 8 February 2008 - Bracken's highest score of 21* off 12 balls came against New ZealandNew Zealand cricket teamThe New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
at Jade StadiumJade StadiumLancaster Park, formerly Jade Stadium and currently known as AMI Stadium through sponsorship rights, is a sports stadium situated in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand....
, 10 December 2005 - Took figures of 3/22 against the West Indies in the final of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy2006 ICC Champions TrophyThe 2006 ICC Champions Trophy was a One Day International cricket tournament held in India from 7 October to 5 November 2006. It was the fifth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy...
- He was part of Australia's Cricket World CupCricket World CupThe ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
winning squads in both 2003 and 2007.
Twenty20 Internationals
Twenty20 International Debut: vs South AfricaSouth African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
Brisbane Cricket Ground
The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
, 9 January 2006 (cap 14).
- Bracken's 1st Twenty20 International wicket was that of Boeta DippenaarBoeta DippenaarHendrik Human Dippenaar , known as Boeta Dippenaar, is a cricketer who has played Test and One Day International cricket for South Africa and the ACA African XI. He has played as a specialist batsman in most of his matches, and has played Test cricket in all batting positions from one through seven...
, caught by Brad Haddin (1st match). - Bracken's best bowling figures of 3/11 off 2.3 overs came against IndiaIndian cricket teamThe Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
at the Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket GroundThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, 1 February 2008 - Bracken's highest score of 4 off 3 balls came against Zimbabwe at Newlands Cricket GroundNewlands Cricket GroundNewlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town is a South African cricket ground. It's the home of the Cape Cobras, who play in the SuperSport Series, MTN Domestic Championship and Standard Bank Pro20 competitions. It is also a venue for Test matches. Newlands is regarded as one of the most beautiful cricket...
, 12 September 2007
Awards
- Bradman Young Cricketer of the YearAllan Border MedalThe Allan Border Medal is considered to be the biggest individual prize in Australian cricket. First awarded in 2000, the medal is named after former Australian captain Allan Border and recognises the most outstanding Australian cricketer of the past season as voted by his peers, the media and...
– 2001. - Bracken has won three One Day International and one Twenty20 InternationalTwenty20 InternationalA Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...
Man of the Match awards. - Man of the Series in the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank Series2007-08 Commonwealth Bank SeriesThe 2007-08 edition of the Commonwealth Bank Series was a One Day International cricket tournament held in Australia. The Commonwealth Bank Series is an annual event involving the national teams of Australia, India and Sri Lanka...
.
Achievements and records
- Bracken has taken the most One Day International wickets by an Australian left-arm pace bowler
- Bracken finished as Australia's leading wicket taker in One Day International cricket for the year 2006 with 46 wickets at an average of 18.82.
- Bracken reached 100 One Day International wickets in his 60th match. This made him the second fastest Australian to reach the milestone, equal with Shane WarneShane WarneShane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
and Dennis LilleeDennis LilleeDennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation"...
. - Bracken is equal with Shaun PollockShaun PollockShaun Maclean Pollock is a retired South African cricketer who is considered a bowling all-rounder. From 2000 to 2003 he was the captain of the South African cricket team, and also played for Africa XI, World XI, Dolphins and Warwickshire. He was also chosen as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in...
as the leading wicket taker in Twenty20 InternationalTwenty20 InternationalA Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...
s and is the leading Australian wicket taker in the format. - Pura CupPura CupThe Sheffield Shield is the domestic cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Prior to the Shield being established, a number of intercolonial matches were played. The Shield, donated by Lord Sheffield, was first contested during...
final winner: 2004–05, 2007–08 - Australian One Day Domestic Cup final winner: 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03
- ICC Champions TrophyICC Champions TrophyThe ICC Champions Trophy is a One Day International cricket tournament, second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup. It was inaugurated as the ICC Knock Out tournament in 1998 and has been played every two years since, changing its name to the Champions Trophy in 2002...
final winner: 2006 - ICC Cricket World Cup final winner: 2007