Nephew of former internationals John and Brendon, and son of Otago first-class cricketer Mark, Michael Bracewell comes from one of New Zealand's most famous cricketing families.
Bracewell was named along with his cousin Doug in New Zealand's squad for the Under 19 World Cup in 2010, before progressing into the Otago Volts, earning his first domestic contract in 2011.
He made the move to Wellington ahead of the 2017/18 season in search of more regular game time, and under the guidance of head coach Bruce Edgar became the Firebirds co-captain alongside Hamish Bennett for the 2018/19 season.
He became a key cog in one of the most successful Wellington teams in recent times, lifting the Ford Trophy in 2018/19 and captaining the side to back-to-back Dream11 Super Smash titles and a Plunket Shield title between 2019 and 2021.
Originally a specialist top-order batter, Bracewell reinvented himself as a batting allrounder for Wellington during the 2020/21 season, adding the art of off-spin to his cricketing repertoire.
He a had a breakout season the following summer showcasing his destructive ability with the bat, topping the Dream11 Super Smash run-scoring charts and hitting New Zealand’s highest domestic T20 score with an unbeaten 141 off just 65 balls against the Central Stags at Pukekura Park.
Bracewell made a late introduction to international cricket when he was handed his ODI cap in 2022, playing three times against Netherlands. He was subsequently included in New Zealand's squad for their Test tour of England, and won a debut at Trent Bridge after the captain, Kane Williamson, was ruled out by a positive Covid test on the eve of the match. His performances were rewarded with his first BLACKCAPS central contract offer for the 2022/23 season.
Bracewell’s versatility has seen him become a regular feature in all three formats for the BLACKCAPS and in July 2022 he registered his maiden ODI century against Ireland in Dublin.
