KEY POINTS:
A fit and firing Jacob Oram is back in the New Zealand cricket engine room, insisting he feels no undue pressure to spur them to a much needed tri-series victory over England here tomorrow night.
The key allrounder has not played a one-day international since the Champions Trophy semifinal loss to Australia last November after a hamstring injury during the Sri Lanka test series ruled him out of the subsequent one-dayers.
Under close watch from the national selectors, Oram made a measured recovery and was required to show he was at peak fitness for Central Districts before being summoned for tri-series duty.
His final tune-up on his home ground in Palmerston North last Thursday proved his readiness, as he scored 70 off 69 deliveries against Otago and opening the bowling to take two for 44 off 9.3 overs.
"There's no pressure whatsoever. There's been talk of myself, Kyle (Mills) and Scott (Styris) being saviours but I don't see that," Oram said.
"There's still quality players here and if we weren't here I'm sure they'd turn it around.
"I feel like I'm hitting my straps well. The body feels good at the moment and the ball's coming out as good as it has done for a year to 18 months."
After a run of low scores, Oram said his innings on Thursday was the ideal time at the crease he needed.
He felt now was the right time to return, with still five matches remaining in the tri-series, and a potential three-match finals series against Australia if New Zealand can start beating England, before three Chappell-Hadlee one-dayers back home before the World Cup.
"It's just exciting to be back and if it had gone on any longer there could have been a question mark about the World Cup."
Remarkably, tomorrow will be Oram's 88th one-day international but his first in the Australian tri-series, having missed the 2002 campaign due to a foot stress fracture.
He also sits poised on 99 one-day international wickets, level with teammates Nathan Astle and Shane Bond, the latter of whom is currently sidelined with back soreness.
"Just turning up and seeing the guys, there was a good feeling and a good buzz from us towards them, a few smiles, and hopefully we can inject excitement and enthusiasm into the side."
Oram and Mills, who has recovered from a knee injury, flew to Adelaide yesterday after being passed fit by the selectors.
Mills is unlikely to play tomorrow as he still regains match fitness, while Styris is recovering from a minor calf strain and has not had his arrival confirmed.
Oram watched last night's two-wicket loss to Australia in Sydney on television and did it tough.
New Zealand should have defended 218 with an impressive bowling performance, but a crucial dropped catch from James Franklin off Michael Clarke and a botched run out of Michael Hussey between Hamish Marshall and Daniel Vettori sealed their fate.
"I really thought we were going to win it last night and that was really hard to watch.
"Especially being over here, in Australia and in the mix, it was a bitter pill to swallow."
Oram will likely return for Marshall while pitch conditions will determine whether in-form spinner Jeetan Patel returns for one of the pacemen.
A loss tomorrow to a side without injured star batsman Kevin Pietersen (rib) and captain Michael Vaughan (hamstring) will leave New Zealand's finals hopes on extremely thin ice.
"It's getting that way now where we have to start winning games, start beating England and jump ahead of them.
"Everything's a must win game from here on in, because we need to get on a roll for the World Cup, get that winning feeling back and the confidence that flows from playing good cricket."
- NZPA
