KEY POINTS:
Sometime over the next couple of months Jacob Oram will likely have to decide whether to continue his test career as an allrounder or to shelve the bowling that has caused his lower back so much grief over the years.
Before that, the New Zealand selectors could
be faced with the choice of whether the tall left-hander warrants a place on the tour to Australia as a batsman alone. Their other choice seems to be whether to take 15, 14 or even 13 players to Australia for the two-test, three match tour starting in less than two weeks.
If fit, it seems inconceivable Oram will not be picked, especially since his unbeaten 126 at the Gabba was the one shining light of the last test tour to Australia, in 2004, when New Zealand went down limply 0-2. But in all likelihood, with such a big summer of cricket, the three remaining selectors will not toy with the idea of taking him to Australia with a gimpy back given his history.
As Daniel Vettori emphasised before the rain-ruined second test at Bangladesh, Oram's allround abilities are critical to the balance of the side.
"He is probably our most important player because of the role he offers being our third seamer and one of our best batsmen," Vettori said.
That leaves the quandary on match day as to whether you replace Oram in the XI with an allrounder of lesser ability, like Grant Elliott, or play a batsman or bowler short.
The team to tour Australia will be picked this week and Oram's status and the return of Chris Martin are the only sticking points in what should otherwise be a straightforward exercise. With no cricket, aside from typically soggy spring club forays, being played, there is nowhere for the selectors to turn except for the players who, barring one or two notable exceptions, underperformed so badly in Bangladesh.
James Franklin is not ready for a return to top-level cricket yet and there must be a reluctance to try to blood any new batsmen, despite the obvious struggles of many of the incumbents. The biggest question might be whether to bracket the injured Oram with seamer Mark Gillespie or allrounder Grant Elliott with the transplanted South African likely to get the nod.
With such a short tour - one first-class match, two tests - the squad should be reduced from the 15 they took to the subcontinent to 14, or even possibly 13.
It is hard to justify the need for two wicketkeepers so unless Gareth Hopkins has leapt above one of the specialist batsmen - fanciful, but not entirely out of the question - he will most likely stay home where he will at least be getting cricket for Auckland. The desire to give players cricket could also mean they leave another Bangladesh tourist at home, safe in the knowledge Australia is but a three-hour flight should back-up be required. If that is the case, Gillespie might be playing State Championship rather than pushing a drinks cart and bowling in the Gabba and Adelaide Oval nets.
In the longer term, Oram's status will be of huge interest. Vettori indicated that Oram might have to think about foregoing the skill that has landed him 60 test wickets and numerous trips to the physio's table (he has missed 14 of the 45 tests NZ have been scheduled to play since his 2002 debut).
Oram himself said, after visiting New Zealand Cricket Rob Campbell, that "back problems and fast bowling go hand in hand".
On statistics alone, Oram would be a shoo-in for a place in the line-up as a specialist batsman. He averages 37 and has scored five centuries, including classy knocks against against heavyweights England, Australia and South Africa.
However, it is unlikely whether you can carry a specialist at No 7 so he would either knock Daniel Flynn out of the No 6 role or move to No 5 and shunt Brendon McCullum down a spot or two.
This move might even bolster a fragile batting card but there is no doubt it affects the side's balance and puts even more pressure on Vettori to be that genuine, match-winning allrounder.
