NEU » ened the 2011-12 sea

New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell has said he has been working on his batting for the last couple of years to become a batting allrounder. Bracewell, currently in Pretoria for a training camp, is part of the 16-man squad that will play two Tests in Zimbabwe later this month. The same squad will then head to South Africa for two Tests next month.Ive always wanted to be [a batting allrounder] ever since I started playing first-class, Bracewell said in Pretoria. Over the last couple of years I havent really produced the numbers that I would have liked but Ive put in quite a lot of hard work over the last year or two and starting to slowly see a few improvements. Hopefully I can keep working hard at it and get some runs.In 25 Tests since his debut in 2011, Bracewell has scored 520 runs at an average of 13.33, with a high score of 47. In ODIs, he averages 9.83 in seven innings and in T20Is, he has 77 runs at an average of 25.66. Bracewell said he was happy with his performances last season before taking a break during the New Zealand winter.Overall, I was pretty happy with how the season went. Obviously, a lot of work-ons going forward, you always want to get better and improve. Ive been working on the batting quite a lot and trying to improve on that and churn out some more runs. I dont reflect too much over the last summer, its been done and now weve got some cricket to look forward to over here and a big summer coming up.Bracewell took 18 wickets in four matches for Central Districts in the Plunket Shield, and averaged 33 with the bat in seven innings, with a highest score of 75. His batting fared much better in the Ford Trophy - New Zealands domestic one-day competition. He struck two fifties in five innings and averaged nearly 40 with a strike rate of 98.14.I have had time off in off season and didnt go anywhere, rested after a long season, he said. Ive had a bit of time off actually. I havent gone overseas and played, Ive just had the body have a bit of a rest after a long season. Looking forward to get back into some cricket.Fast bowler Matt Henry also joined the New Zealand squad in Pretoria this week. Henry was in England for over three months, representing Worcestershire. He played 11 matches in the NatWest T20 Blast, collecting seven wickets. He had more success in the County Championship - he took 27 wickets in six matches at an average of 26.51.Matts bowled well and hasnt always had the reward so to see him get his reward at Northampton (8 for 88) was really satisfying, Worcestershire coach Steve Rhodes said. He really clicked with his rhythm and swung the ball nicely. Maybe with him going away with the New Zealand team and readying himself for a Test series, it has put him in a good spot mentally as to how he feels about his bowling and form-wise.We shouldnt forget Matts batting this year. This guy is averaging 45 in first-class cricket and played some important knocks as well in the white ball format. He is very good all-round cricketer but is also a tremendous bloke and he has fitted in so well in our dressing room. We really do wish him well in his time with New Zealand.Would I like to see him back one day? Yes, he is definitely the type of cricketer who appeals to us because he is whole-hearted, tries hard, is a talented bowler and we all know he can strike a rocket ball as well. He is definitely the type of cricketer, who, at some stage in the future, we would definitely love to have back. Custom Kansas City Royals Jerseys . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Jake Newberry Jersey . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. https://www.cheaproyals.com/1217a-humberto-arteaga-jersey-royals.html .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Kansas City Royals Shirts . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Gabe Speier Jersey . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday in New York -- one day before the leagues annual board of governors session -- as they inch closer to striking a new labor agreement, according to league sources.The meeting is the latest signal, sources told ESPN, that a new deal to avoid a work stoppage is looming in the near future.Sources say there is rising optimism on both sides of the bargaining table that the basic framework of a deal can be achieved as early as this month.The current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the NBAPA runs through June 2021, with both sides holding the right until Dec. 15 to express an intent to opt out in 2017.But NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week that he expects the parties to come to terms on a new CBA before the opt-out deadline.Both sides have been very engaged and eager to get a deal done, Silver said.Speaking in China last week ahead of the 10th annual Global Games, Silver revealed that he spoke to Roberts during a recent league visit to Spain and said he would continue to pursue a fast resolution with the Players Association that avoids a lockout or any loss of games.Negotiations on the last CBA led to a five-month work sstoppage that lasted until December 2011 and shortened the 2011-12 season by 16 games, marking only the second time in league history that a labor impasse led to a reduced schedule.ddddddddddddith the league in a healthy state and money flowing into the game at unprecedented levels, there is strong motivation on all sides to avoid a work stoppage this time around.We dont want to strike and they dont want to strike, New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, who is on the unions executive committee, said earlier this week. So the best thing to do is really figure it out sooner rather than later.We want to try to get something done. I think the NBA and the owners are very receptive to that, and we are, too. I think [in the 2011 negotiation] we were so far away from each other. You can feel the difference, you can see the difference, you can see the reaction, you can see the contact were having, the information thats being sent on both sides. I think were closer to getting something done. Hopefully itll get done soon.ESPN.coms Chris Haynes, Brian Windhorst, Marc J. Spears and Marc Stein contributed to this report. ' ' '