NZXI captain and BLACKCAP in waiting Michael Bracewell led from the front in the first warm-up match against the touring Netherlands squad.
Bracewell top-scored in the one-day DLS win for the NZXI with an unbeaten knock of 127* off just 108 balls as his outrageous form of 2021/22 continued.
Named alongside NZXI teammate Dane Cleaver in the BLACKCAPS for the first time this week, Bracewell came to the rescue in the opening warm-up for the series at McLean Park after his side had been 56/3.
The experienced batsman hit 14 boundaries and two sixes in a three-hour knock that dominated the NZXI's total of 280/8.
The hosts had been sent in by Netherlands captain Pieter Seelaar whose side made a good start with the ball.
Fred Klassen, another man familiar with New Zealand conditions and a teammate of Adam Milne at the Kent Spitfires, picked up 3-54 while youngster Bas de Leede and Brandon Glover each picked up a brace, although both conceded more runs than they would have wished for against a rampant Bracewell.
The NZXI captain wasn't done for the day, turning around to dismiss Dutch first drop Boris Gorlee for no score with a return catch early in the Netherlands' chase.
Takapuna's Dutch international Max O'Dowd had already departed at 44/1 after Angus McKenzie broke through, while Seelar also departed for single fiigures when he was bowled by young Bay of Plenty spinner Tim Pringle - the Dutch-born 19-year-old son of former BLACKCAP Chris Pringle.
Fortunately for the visitors, their remaining open batsman Vikramjit Singh (below) got some traction and batted into the 18th over to get his side moving, before his loss at 69/3.
De Leede was unbeaten on 47* with Wellington Firebirds allrounder Logan van Beek, also a Dutch rep, just getting started when rain curtailed the visitors' chase at 117/4 after 29.1 overs, no further play possible and the NZXI taking a mathematical 42-run win.
The second one-dayer between the two squads starts this Saturday at 2pm, again behind closed gates at McLean Park - catch all the action with the free livestream here at nzc.nz or on the NZC app or NZC YouTube.
