James Bracey

A genuine top order batsman and a technically sound wicketkeeper, James Robert Bracey is a professional English cricketer. Considered as a promising batsman ever since first seen at the first-class level, Bracey has also gone on to a different level in the last couple of seasons with his keeping.

A product of Gloucestershire academy, Bracey made his first-class debut for Loughborough University against the Australian Universities in May 2016. His Gloucestershire debut followed as a specialist batsman in the final Championship match of the season against Sussex.

Bracey had a breakout year in 2019, finishing as the highest run scorer across both One-Day and T20 competitions. He also showed his worth in the second division County Championship with only Chris Dent and Ryan Higgins scoring more runs than him. His performances throughout the year earned him a call-up to the England Lions side where he impressed against the Australia A side.

After being an unused member of England’s biosecure bubble for much of the last year, Bracey was promoted into England’s squad as an understudy to Ben Foakes for the two-Test series against New Zealand. Bracey got his chance to represent the Three Lions with the gloves as a result of Ben Foakes suffering a freak hamstring injury after slipping in the Surrey dressing room and Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow among those rested after their IPL stints. The wicketkeeper-batsman made his international debut against the Blackcaps on June 2, 2021 at the Home of Cricket. 

The 24-year-old has averaged close to 50 batting in the top three for Gloucestershire in the County Championship this season. 

Bracey has been winning positive reviews ever since being called up as part of last summer's expanded training squad and has the chance to impress the selectors against the Kiwis and strengthen his case as a backup gloveman.

(As of June 2021)