Australia limited-over cricketer Nathan Bracken took 186 wickets for Australia from 121 caps – but surprisingly the cult hero is now turning to politics.
The left-arm quick was one of the first bowlers to truly master the art of the slower cutter balls and was the second fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets – behind only two legendary players: Shane Warne and Dennis Lillee.
During his international season from 2001 to 2009, Bracken was known for his flowing blonde locks, often held up by a headband.
But he doesn’t look like it anymore.
The 45-year-old, who grew up in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, now lives on the state’s Central Coast and is running as the Liberal candidate for The Entrance’s electorate in the upcoming state election.
Nathan Bracken won an incredible 174 wickets in a brilliant 116-game ODI career for Australia that was cut short by injury
The supremely nimble, pictured with wife Haley, is unrecognizable from his days when he was one of Australia’s most popular players
Bracken sends you down with his iconic blonde locks during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy – which Australia won
Gone are the iconic locks. The 195cm tall ex-cricketer now sports a cropped, cropped style with a center parting that is often accompanied by a scruffy pepper-toned beard.
Since retiring after suffering a serious knee injury in 2011 – for which he sued Cricket Australia for over $1million – Bracken has held a variety of jobs.
After his Bachelor of Communications degree, Bracken dipped his toe in commentary, did a significant amount of cricket coaching, held a variety of business manager positions and is currently an account manager at Boral Concrete, according to his LinkedIn page.
And now the embattled Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet has reached out to the ex-cricketer to try to overcome a 5.2 per cent swing against incumbent Labor incumbent David Mehan, who has held the seat since 2015.
Bracken, who has been a member of the Liberal Party for two years, previously ran as an independent (who favored the Liberals) for the federal seat in 2013, although he hopes to do much better this time, having secured just 8.2 percent the primary voice.
Nathan Bracken lives on the NSW Central Coast with his longtime wife Haley and sons Chase and Tag, having grown up in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney
Bracken celebrates a wicket in one of his five Tests for Australia. The left-armer was considered a limited-overs specialist given Quicks’ combined talent during his generation
The lanky Swift said he wanted to help the Central Coast’s burgeoning population ahead of the May 25 election.
“I’ve been on the Central Coast for almost 20 years now… I made a decision a while ago not to be someone who sits around and whines about it… (I want to focus on) what it can be, the infrastructure that Opportunities that all residents want,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“What Dominic (Perrottet) has been through and where it is taking us… going forward (it) is a great opportunity to jump out of Covid and put us on the front foot for the future.”
Though he seems to have a short memory when it comes to political allegiances.
Running as an independent in the 2013 federal election, Bracken insisted he had no interest in joining a major party and “floats” on the political spectrum.
“Once you’ve affiliated with a party, you can’t make a judgment on every issue,” he told News Corp in 2012.
“When I played cricket I knew where I was going, what my plan was and if things changed I could go along with it. Sometimes at a party you can’t change direction.’
Nathan Bracken, with his iconic blond locks, sends you down in Australia’s successful 2007 ODI World Cup campaign
But ten years later he insists he has always sided with the Liberals.
“My views have always been on the liberal side of things, even when I ran as an independent I preferred the liberals,” Bracken said.
The popular community man, who has been an ambassador for a variety of charities, is sadly not expected to win.
Forecasting site AE Forecasts gives the Australian cricketer no hope of upsetting the incumbent, with Bracken just a 1.4 per cent chance of toppling Mehan as the seat swings even further to Chris Minns’ Labour.
However, due to his move to a major party, he is expected to garner slightly more primary votes.
The cunning swift must use all his old bowling skills and make a huge swing his way.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-11824759/Australian-cricketer-Nathan-Bracken-unrecognisable-stands-Liberals-NSW-election.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Australian cricketer Nathan Bracken is unrecognizable as he is running for the Liberals in the NSW general election
