Oram finds faith in game plan

The allrounder Jacob Oram will go into Friday's match against England backed by the knowledge he can construct a significant innings from any position. Oram, who is no longer worried by his broken finger, has felt a big shift in his game over the past six months, which included his first ODI century against Australia during the CB Series.

At the last World Cup Oram was a bowler who batted at the bottom of the order, but in this tournament he will be crucial to New Zealand's hopes after proving he can be a consistent and damaging run-scorer. His 101 against Australia came from 72 balls and he followed it with 54 off 33 deliveries against England.

"Thankfully, in the last six months the biggest shift in my game I've been most happy with is not necessarily the striking of the ball as the planning of an innings," he told AFP. "The innings that stands out for me is not the hundred in Perth, but the next knock against the English where I paced my innings at the end. I had very little time to bat but what I did do went completely to plan. That proved to me I'd made some really good strides lately."

It is a major change since he was part of New Zealand's campaign during the 2003 event. "At the last World Cup, when I was down at nine or ten, I was a bowler who batted," he said. "I had a feeling I was letting myself down.

"I started my first-class career as a batsman. If you asked me what I'd like to succeed as most, I'd say as a batsman. I suddenly realised after the first couple of years of my career I had more skills than I was showing. It was just a kick up the backside from myself."

The big-hitting Oram, who averages a six almost every second match, has also revealed he has "one of the biggest bats around". "It's specially made, thankfully," he told Reuters. "Being six foot six you need something custom-made. It's a normal handle but an extra long blade."

Oram said his finger was now "pretty much 100%". "Bowling and throwing, it was a good hand to break if there is one," he said. "It's a little bit painful batting, especially when batting bottom-handed which is most of my shots anyway." Peter Fulton also has a finger injury and Mark Gillespie has been ruled out of the England game due to a neck and shoulder problem.