The rise of Doug Bracewell

It hasn't taken very long for fast bowler Doug Bracewell to cement his place in the New Zealand Test side. In the Herald on Sunday Andrew Alderson talks to him about childhood training, IPL money, food in India and more.

Brendon [Bracewell] ran the original Bracewell academy at Te Puna, just out of Tauranga (he now runs a similar concept in Napier). Boys aged 10 to 13 would come in over the summer to train a week at a time. Graduates have included current Black Caps Kane Williamson (21) and Trent Boult (22).

Doug grew up needing to be physically and mentally tough to survive. That has since prompted a description of him as "21 going on 31".

The highlight (or lowlight for some) was a visit to what Bracewell snr coined "Get Hard Park" in the fields surrounding Te Puna Rugby Club. Boys would be cajoled into shuttle runs and sprints up a hill. After stumps were pulled on a day of "test" cricket, recruits often played rugby followed by barbecues before retiring to their bunkroom barracks.