Cricket: Bracewell's Hobart heroics 'test spell of year'

Doug Bracewell's match-winning performance against Australia in Hobart last year continues to win him plaudits.

The medium-pacer's six for 40 has won the 21-year-old the Best Test Bowling Performance award at the fifth annual ESPNcricinfo Awards.

Bracewell's effort with the ball, claiming nine wickets in the match, swung the test in New Zealand's favour, with Australia collapsing from 159 for two, to all out for 233, chasing 241.

The victory gave New Zealand their first win over Australia since 1993, and their first on Australian soil since 1985.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Russel Arnold, a Cricinfo awards judge, said New Zealand were "up against the wall'' before Bracewell, playing in his debut year at international level, "produced this wonderful spell that really put Australia on the back foot and gave New Zealand a win''.

"It defies words to describe the feeling that Doug Bracewell would have had.

"It was a top-class bowling performance, not express pace - all his deliveries were within 130-135 kph - but he did the basics really well. He bowled wicket to wicket, got the ball to jag around a bit and picked up results.''

Fellow judge Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistani batsman, said Bracewell's performance showed he is "here to stay''.

"What was fascinating about that performance was his ability to pick up the frontline batsmen and also the tail. His temperament was solid, he swung the ball both ways. And for a young guy, just starting his test career, to produce that kind of a match-winning performance was something special.

"He's here to stay. He'll bring a lot of laurels for the New Zealand team because he's got talent and he's produced the result to win a Test match in Australia for New Zealand after so many years.''

The 16 person jury was made up of former international cricketers, including New Zealand's Martin Crowe, and cricket writers and commentators.

Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Best Test Batting Performance award for his 146 in Cape Town against a "sublime'' Dale Steyn, Ireland's Kevin O'Brien claimed the gong for Best ODI Batting Performance for his match-winning 113 against England at the World Cup, Best ODI Bowling performance went to Australia's Mitchell Johnson for his six for 31 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele