New Zealand Cricket faces more than England as an adversary with claims of two off-field incidents involving alcohol seeping into the public domain ahead of today's first test in Dunedin.
British newspaper The Sun reported Jeetan Patel was out drinking with friends last Wednesday night during the New Zealand XI tour match against England in Queenstown and hit his head, ruling him out of the second day's play. He suffered mild concussion. It was reported at the time as a virus.
A NZC spokeswoman said the Patel matter was dealt with at the time by team management and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and no one from NZC would comment further.
Doug Bracewell cut his foot on glass after a party at his Napier flat. He was ruled out of the first test against England but is expected to be fit for the second test next week in Wellington.
Bracewell told NZCPA boss Heath Mills and New Zealand manager Mike Sandle he had "a couple of beers" and wasn't drunk during a gathering last Friday night to watch Super Rugby at his house. He said the incident happened the following morning during the clean-up.
New Zealand Cricket put out a press release saying Bracewell had been reminded of his responsibilities as a contracted player.
"We've told Doug that he needs to take responsibility for what happens around him and that he needs to do all he can to ensure his preparation for international cricket is not compromised," manager Mike Sandle said.
"Doug is very sorry for any inconvenience he has caused his team-mates and members of the public, and he has apologised to his neighbour in Napier."
Bracewell and Jesse Ryder were both suspended for a match last year after breaking team protocol around drinking when injured and Ryder is on a self-imposed break from international cricket as he deals with personal issues.
Coach Mike Hesson has denied there's a drinking culture within the New Zealand set-up and pointed out both incidents happened outside the national team environment.
However, the public's antennae are twitching after the team's dismal test performances in South Africa and the fractious circumstances surrounding Ross Taylor's dismissal as captain.
Such incidents mean the professionalism of the New Zealand team continues to be under the microscope and it remains a distraction to their cricket focus.
- By Andrew Alderson of the Herald on Sunday
