KEY POINTS:
GRENADA - Jacob Oram's Achilles heel has extended his frustrating sequence of avoiding world champions Australia after the jinxed allrounder was ruled out of tomorrow's (1.30am Sat NZT) trans-Tasman cricket World Cup clash.
Oram's bruised right heel has again intervened to limit his involvement in a one-day series
after the injury, brought on by bowling, first forced him out of the 2006 home series with Sri Lanka.
Fortunately it will not prevent him from playing a far more significant game against the 1996 champions -- next Tuesday's (2.30am Wed NZT) Cup semifinal in Jamaica.
Oram, who missed the stirring Chappell-Hadlee Trophy victories over Australia in Hamilton and Auckland two months ago with a fractured finger, could have played at the Grenada National Stadium but given the outcome of the match should not alter the semifinal draw, coach John Bracewell said it was decided to let the hard-hitting left hander rest up.
"It's a precautionary thing to make sure we don't cause any further damage," Bracewell said.
"It's the same heel he's had problems with over a long period of time. We knew he had it during the home series (against Sri Lanka in December-January).
"He's been able to nurse it through then all of a sudden it's got a little bit more serious so we've just got to take it easy.
"Given his position in the team and the balance of the side it's a huge risk to play him in a game that really, while it matters, has no real implications on the semifinals."
It was briefly considered playing Oram as a specialist batsman but that theory was quickly rejected particularly given the match will give New Zealand an opportunity to give their under-utilised back-up seam bowlers a final tune-up before they strike bouncier pitches in Jamaica -- and potentially Barbados for the April 28 final.
Ironically, the recurrence of Oram's long-standing injury may prove beneficial as New Zealand could conceivably include both Mark Gillespie and Michael Mason.
Mason has not played since straining a calf against Bangladesh on April 2 while Gillespie has only bowled six overs during the entire tournament -- during the six-wicket Super Eights loss to Sri Lanka last week -- after arriving in the Caribbean with a shoulder problem.
New Zealand are set for a semifinal at a traditionally lively Sabina Park while Kensington Oval in Bridgetown in also seam friendly prompting captain Stephen Fleming and Bracewell to suggest giving the pace bowling back-up a run was the priority -- a policy that could see second spinner Jeetan Patel unfortunately cast as the odd man out.
Oram's temporary demise will also see James Franklin elevation up the order from No 9, a justifiable promotion for the left hander who has produced two impressive cameos in his only batting opportunities so far.
He has scored a combined 59 runs without being dismissed against Ireland and Sri Lanka and there was no hesitation in lifting him to No 6 ahead of Brendon McCullum and an out-of-sorts Daniel Vettori.
"It's about the positioning and making sure Brendon (McCullum) is still in the key position (No 7) he's in in terms of chasing," Bracewell said.
"It's about making this seamless and I think James is really looking forward to the challenge of it.
"He's batted quite well for a long period of time for us -- it's nothing new for him to bat in the middle order."
Meanwhile, although there was a slight mathematical possibility of New Zealand dislodging Australia as the top qualifier with a massive victory -- to therefore earn a semi against South Africa in St Lucia -- Bracewell was more intent in leapfrogging Sri Lanka to finish second.
"One of the reasons for wanting to end up second is we get the preferential treatment in terms of the practice times in Jamaica," Bracewell said.
And although New Zealand clearly have an eye on a rematch with Sri Lanka, Bracewell said there was still a determination to continue the momentum his side built over Australia during the 3-0 Chappell-Hadlee series whitewash.
"There's the temptation to prepare for the future -- but there's also the reality of what needs to be done (tomorrow). We don't want to lose the momentum," he said.
"It's an important game because we're playing against the No 1 ranked side in the world.
"It's a battle we always look forward to."
- NZPA
