Oram enjoys allrounder’s burden

Aug 18, 2010 |

Correspondent

Dambulla, Aug. 17: Over the years, Jacob Oram has played varied roles for New Zealand. As elder statesmen, the lanky all-rounder now has a bigger responsibility. With Shane Bond’s retirement and other key players being rested for this tournament, Oram holds the key for New Zealand.

Oram who missed the Black Caps’ second match against Sri Lanka should be fit and ready to play the next game. “The hamstring is better at the moment. We have slowly built it up in the last three days of training,” he said here on Tuesday.

There has been little to choose between the three sides and the role of the all-rounder stands accentuated in the remaining games in a tournament that is now effectively a knockout.

Donning two roles is a tough ask and for Oram who has had to constantly fight injuries through his career, the comeback might have come at the right time ahead of the World Cup.

“Jacques Kallis is the only one who seems to keep his body in good nick to keep going. Look at Shane Watson. He has been good for 12-18 months now but he has had his run of injuries. Andrew Flintoff has had his problems too. A lot of our injuries has to do with our size. You have got to be realistic, I can’t change my size but I enjoy being an all-rounder, so I want to keep doing that till I hang up my boots,” added Oram.

Much of the limelight has been hogged by Suraj Randiv and the bowler apologising for his action drew praise from Oram. “Games have been dominated by the bowlers. I think if a batsman is good enough to get 99, the bowler should be man enough to bowl at him and see what he can do with that,” he said.

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