KEY POINTS:
ADELAIDE - Star New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram insists their Twenty20 cricket defeat will have little relevance when the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy goes on the line here tomorrow night.
Trophy holders New Zealand's underdog status was further confirmed by the 54-run loss to the fired up world champions in
Perth but Oram said the mental scarring was minimal.
"It was disappointing, it was a setback definitely, but the Twenty20 was just a one-off," he said.
"We played okay in South Africa even though we lost the series (1-2), and we got some confidence from those games.
"We know we're a better one-day side than the other two forms of the game.
"If we get conditions to suit and we get a few guys firing then we'll be competitive. It'll be bloody tough, they are a very good side."
Two things were confirmed at the bouncy WACA ground, that speedsters Brett Lee and Shaun Tait will be a handful for New Zealand's top order and that Oram could potentially win a game on his own, if given the platform.
Striding to the crease at 31 for five, Oram whacked six sixes in a losing cause to rack up 66 not out off 31 balls.
The intensity was up a level from their just-completed tour of the Republic, Oram said, but there were few surprises.
Lee and Tait are no strangers to the New Zealand batsmen, and both combined with the new ball in Melbourne last February when the tourists scored 290 - and still lost.
"It was nice to have a look at them in an aggressive style, see them coming in, hit a few and to get out of the way of a few as well," Oram said.
"Nothing was unexpected last night. We thought they'd be quick and they'd hostile and they were both. That's what they'll throw at us and we have to find ways to handle that."
For Oram, tomorrow's appealing tree-lined venue of the Adelaide Oval has special significance.
Last January he made a late return to the New Zealand side from injury and launched his golden summer with a matchwinning innings of 86 in the tri-series match against England.
Next game he cracked 101 off 72 balls in a losing cause, chasing 344 to win, against Australia in Perth, then 54 off 33 balls several days later to usher in another win over England.
A finger injury saw him miss games two and three of the subsequent 3-0 Chappell-Hadlee whitewash in New Zealand.
"We hold the trophy and it's something to be proud of and something to want to defend and defend all we can.
"We've got a couple of changes through retirement and injuries, but last year we showed that even though they can play bloody well, and score in excess of 300, we can also chase that down."
The key was for the team's kingpins to take charge, namely himself, captain Daniel Vettori and opener Brendon McCullum.
Former New Zealand captain John Wright, meanwhile, suggested Oram shift up the order from No 7 to take the game to Australia, but the man himself said he would be used in a "floating role".
"I'd like to come in with a bit of time to get myself sorted out, get my feet going and see the ball before I start swinging," said Oram.
Said Wright: "You've got to play form players up there. I'm sure they're thinking of that."
- NZPA
