WELLINGTON (AP): National head coach John Bracewell will not seek reappointment when his current contract ends in April, 2009, New Zealand Cricket said Friday.

Bracewell, who has coached New Zealand since 2003, has indicated he would like to return to coaching an English county side. He coached Gloucestershire with considerable success before taking up the New Zealand appointment.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said Bracewell's early announcement gave the sport's national governing body extra time to seek a replacement.

``It's ... to really allow New Zealand Cricket an unrushed search and recruitment process so we can go around having discussions with coaches either within New Zealand or internationally,'' Vaughan said. ``And to be able to do that in an open manner, rather than having to try and do it on the sly.

``The preference is for the coach who can take this group of players and win lots of games. Whether that's a New Zealander or an international coach, they will just have to be decided on their merits.''

Bracewell is currently in England with the New Zealand team.