Bracewell admits he failed as coach

John Bracewell admits he did not match up to expectations during his tenure as New Zealand coach. Bracewell, whose last series in charge saw New Zealand slip to a 2-0 defeat in Australia and No. 8 in the ICC Test rankings, said he would miss the team he coached for over five years.

"I feel as though I've given it a honest shot but in terms of pure statistics or results New Zealand Cricket wanted us to be No. 1 in world cricket in both forms of the game and we didn't reach that, so if you look at it like that I've been a failure," Bracewell told the Dominion Post. New Zealand won 61 of the 106 ODIs when he was coach, but only 13 of the 41 Tests and lost 20.

"In Test cricket our planning has been very, very good in that we often get ourselves in a position to win but often we run out of steam trying to fulfil that," he said. "That is disappointing, but there are not too many Tests that we don't put ourselves in a position to win at some stage. We just lose critical moments too often."

During his stint, Bracewell was also on the receiving end from the media. "At times both the media and myself weren't the best of friends but that is the nature of the business," he said. "If it's a kiss-arse business, you are in the wrong one, both from a media perspective and a coaching perspective.

"You've got to cop it and sometimes you've got to give it and you regret that you've given it because the media always have the last shot."

He believes the team he leaves in the hands of Andy Moles has the ability to become world-beaters. "These guys are enormously talented and when they harness it and realise it and get into it they will play some really exciting cricket," he said. "They live in the highlights, they play in the highlights and that is what the public want to see.

"There will be some high and lows, I suspect, but, man, when they get it right some of these batters will be absolutely outstanding" he said. "I'm very close to them, it's been a long association. It's a family unit with extremely high team spirit. They are close to each other and I will miss them."