Ex-Aussie pacer Nathan Bracken to contest in elections

Nathan Bracken has decided to shift focus from cricket to politics

Former Australian fast-medium bowler Nathan Bracken is all set to contest for next month’s national elections as an independent candidate from New South Wales’ Dobell constituency.

The tall left-arm bowler announced his desire to contest for elections today morning following his retirement from the game on January 2011 due to a chronic knee injury. It was reported that the 35-year old cricketer sued Cricket Australia back in February last year for its incompetency in tackling his knee injury.

Moving on from the sport which he was involved in since 2001, Bracken will be competing against controversial former Labor party parliamentarian Craig Thomson, who was accused of misusing trade union credit cards to pay for prostitutes, for the latter’s Dobell seat.

“I will be running as an independent for the seat of Dobell for the election and Lawrie McKinna will run in Robertson as an independent,” NDTV SPORTS reported Bracken as tweeting today.

McKinna, a former footballer, used to coach Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners as well as a few Chinese clubs, and is currently the local mayor of Gosford in New South Wales.

With Dobell and Robertson both proving out to be marginal seats, as seen in previous elections, every seat will matter for Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who seeks to hold office for the second time after defeating fellow party woman Julia Gillard in a caucus ballot in June this year.

Bracken, who played 5 Tests and 116 ODI matches for Australia, said that he now wants to concentrate on local issues such as unemployment and tax raise.

“I see that we’ve got to give ourselves the best opportunity and put ourselves in the race. If you sit back and complain about how things are done there’s no chance of getting anything so putting my hand up and getting out there,” he wrapped up.