New Zealand's Bracewell hails bowlers, looks for rhythm

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, Mar 17 (Reuters) New Zealand coach John Bracewell today credited his bowlers for their World Cup win over England.

They prevailed by six wickets in their Group C opener on Friday in St Lucia after Shane Bond, Scott Styris and James Franklin had each taken two wickets to limit England to 209 for seven.

''It was the bowling that won the match,'' he told reporters at the team hotel today.

''That's the irony of our team. Lots of guys came away in the best form of their life batting wise and not necessarily bowling wise.'' He reserved special words for Styris, who also hit 87 not out in the run chase.

''He showed he is a big-match player and that's why we keep picking him,'' Bracewell said.

England coach Duncan Fletcher said earlier that they now had to win four out of six matches to make the World Cup semi-finals but Bracewell is not making any mathematical predictions.

''For us it is game by game, maybe because rhythm is quite an important thing. You need to win to get on a roll,'' Bracewell added.

Nevertheless he will rotate his side for the remaining group games against Kenya and Canada on Tuesday and Thursday.

''In the Kenya and Canada games we'll make sure the whole squad gets a run out now we have got this one of out the way,'' he said.

However, fast bowler Mark Gillespie was still not in contention as he continued to recover from a numb bowling arm. The Kiwis, though, were not thinking of bringing anyone in to replace him.

''He is bowling. He is really pleased with that. The only thing he is really struggling with at the moment is throwing.

''(Not replacing him) is how important Mark is to us, how much we value him. We are not prepared to make that decision until we definitely have to,'' Bracewell said.

The seven-week long World Cup culminates in the April 28 final in Barbados.

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