Bracewell hoping to step up to the international stage

Gloucestershire's highly successful coach John Bracewell is hoping that his stint in England will ultimately lead to an international job.

Bracewell, a former New Zealand off spinner, has taken Gloucestershire to the brink of a historic one-day treble this season. Only Somerset can stop them adding the National League Division One title to their Benson and Hedges Cup and NatWest Trophy trophies.

Warwickshire are the only other side to take three major titles in a season. In 1994 they won the County Championship, Benson and Hedges and Sunday League competitions.

But Bracewell, who also took Gloucestershire to a Benson and Hedges Cup and NatWest Trophy double last year, eventually wants to try his luck at international level -- and admits coaching Australia would be the dream move.

He said: ``I want to be able to say "I'm good enough to coach at international level".

``I want to know within myself that if I ever apply to be an international coach it is when I am ready to do so. That's the reason I came to England in the first place.

``The club were aware of what I wanted to achieve and I told them `I'll be using you and much as you're using me'. I wanted to come here to learn to be an international coach.

``I wanted to do it that way around rather than get the job and then have to learn how to do it as many people do.

``Just because they've been good cricketers, people presume they will be good coaches and it doesn't go hand in glove.

``You must go through the structure. I started in primary schools and worked my way up and county cricket is the ideal finishing school.

``International-wise, it would be nice to coach your own country and I am a New Zealander through and through. But there are other countries where you would think `that would be a massive challenge'.

``Imagine coaching the Aussies. To coach the All Blacks is the prime coaching position in rugby. I would say to coach Australia would be the same in cricket.

``But I'm not ready yet and the thing I am finding is the more I'm coaching, the more I am still learning. That's a good way to be.''