Cricket: New ball duties loom for Oram

By RICHARD BOOCK

Jacob Oram's all-round qualities are set to be highlighted again tomorrow as New Zealand ponder their line-up for the first test against Bangladesh.

Having received a useful workout in their drawn three-day match against a Board XI, the New Zealanders have now turned their full attention to the series opener in Dhaka, and in particular - the composition of their bowling attack.

Coach John Bracewell gave a hint of his thinking yesterday when he said there was a risk of diluting the team's effectiveness in the field if too many bowling options were included.

His comments suggested he was considering a repeat of the tactics used by New Zealand in last year's test against India at Ahmedabad, when Oram opened the bowling with Daryl Tuffey to create room for two spin options.

The difference on this occasion is that Oram would presumably share the new ball with either Ian Butler or James Franklin, and be confronted by the world's weakest batting line-up rather than one of the best.

"I don't want to get into a situation where the captain has too many bowling options for his own good," said Bracewell.

"There's a danger of the decision-making being compromised by too much choice, and of the responsibility of dismissing teams being heaped on the skipper, rather than the individual bowlers."

The first New Zealand spinner to take 100 test wickets, Bracewell believed bowlers were prone to becoming a bit "flaky" about their responsibilities if they knew they were just one of several options.

With spinners Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman almost guaranteed of selection, he appeared to be leaning towards using Scott Styris as a third-seamer, and promoting Oram to a new ball role.

His only other option is to include another bowler and omit a batsman, in which case Mathew Sinclair and rookie Hamish Marshall would come into calculations.

However, with Bracewell keen to see Stephen Fleming batting at No 3, and to find out more about Marshall's ability in the longer game, the possibility of Oram opening the attack with either Butler or Franklin looms large.

Bracewell said he was pleased that the New Zealanders received a thorough workout before the opening test match, starting tomorrow at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

New Zealand, buoyed by an unbeaten century from Fleming, scored 344 for six declared batting first, and then dismissed their hosts for 208 in 87.1 overs, 45 of which were bowled by Vettori and Wiseman.

Vettori emerged with two for 57 from 24 overs, and Wiseman with two for 56 off 21.

The tourists then had time to rattle of 351 for four declared, courtesy of an unbeaten 113 from Nathan Astle, 71 from Sinclair, 62 from Franklin and 47 from Oram.

"It was good for the guys to get a taste of the humidity and heat, and the rolled mud pitch that's fairly typical of this region," Bracewell said.

"I was especially pleased to see the spinners bowling a lot of overs in tandem, and for Paul Wiseman who I thought bowled really well."