WELLINGTON: All-rounder Doug Bracewell has earned a recall to the New Zealand Test squad for their series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after being dumped from the team for disciplinary issues earlier this year.

The 24-year-old Bracewell last played against Bangladesh last year. He has not been considered for selection since February because of his involvement in a late-night drinking session on the eve of last season’s third Test against India in Auckland. He suffered a foot injury during his night on the town and was not fit for selection when he reported to Eden Park the following day.

Bracewell was part of the New Zealand ‘A’ team that toured England in August and coach Mike Hesson said his performances on that tour had convinced him to give the burly all-rounder another opportunity.

“Doug had a very good NZ ‘A’ tour and we just think that in the heat in the UAE his experience and resilience in those conditions will be important,” Hesson said in a statement on Wednesday.

Opening batsman Peter Fulton was dropped from the squad that secured a 2-1 series victory over West Indies in June, with Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham the likely opening combination.

Rutherford saw off the challenge of provincial team-mate Michael Bracewell — the cousin of Doug — who had been tipped as an outside selection for the tour given Rutherford’s struggles at the top of the order since his astonishing 171 on debut against England in early 2013.

The 25-year-old Rutherford, however, scored 281 runs at 52.5 in five one-day innings on the ‘A’ tour, which had given Hesson some hope he could rekindle his Test form.

Hesson also named a 19-man New Zealand XI squad for one-day matches against World Cup qualifiers Ireland and Scotland later this month, with former captain Daniel Vettori brought back into reckoning for next year’s global showpiece in Australia and New Zealand.

New Zealand face Scotland on Oct 15 in Christchurch and then play Ireland three days later on Oct 18 in Hamilton.

Hesson will then select his squad for three One-day Internationals against South Africa on Oct 21, 24 and 27 after the Ireland game.

The team will then travel to the UAE for their series against Pakistan. The series will feature three Tests, in Abu Dhabi (Nov 9-13), Dubai (Nov 17-21) and Sharjah (Nov 26-30). The teams then play five One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals. The tour concludes on Dec 19 with the fifth One-day International.

Test squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, B.J. Watling, Kane Williamson.

New Zealand XI: Brendon McCullum (captain), Anderson, Boult, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Neesham, Ronchi, Southee, Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Watling, Williamson.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014