Cricket: Back strain sidelines Oram

Jacob Oram

Black Caps allrounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out of Central Districts State Championship cricket match against Auckland starting tomorrow.

Oram was sidelined from the four-day match to rest a niggling back strain, but Central Districts coach Graham Barlow told the Dominion Post Oram was in no danger of missing the three one-day matches against the World Invitation 11 starting on January 22.

Barlow said the towering cricketer was omitted from the top-of-the-table clash at Eden Park tomorrow for precautionary reasons.

Oram left the field for treatment after bowling five overs in Central Districts eight-wicket State Shield win over Wellington last Sunday, but Barlow said the injury was minor and flared up every four-to-five weeks.

"He's still a bit sore, so we won't risk it.

"It's a muscle thing but I don't think it's anything more than that," Barlow said.

Central suffered a further blow yesterday with former Black Caps medium pacer Michael Mason ruled out of the Auckland game with a side strain.

Mason is to have a bone-scan today to ensure the injury is not more sinister and is likely to miss Central Districts next championship match away to Canterbury from January 21-24.

"He's had the side strain for a long time and has just aggravated it a bit.

"We just want to make sure there's nothing else wrong and hope he'll be fit for the (January 28 resumption of the State Shield) one-dayers," Barlow said.

Long-serving opener Peter Ingram, fresh from a big hundred for Central A in Lincoln last week, and medium-pacer Brent Hefford have been recalled.

Teams: Central Districts: Glen Sulzberger (captain), Jamie How, Peter Ingram, Mathew Sinclair, Jarred Englefield, Ross Taylor, Bevan Griggs, Ewan Thompson, Andrew Schwass, Regan West, Lance Hamilton, Brett Hefford (one to be omitted).

Auckland: Brooke Walker (captain), Richard Jones, Matt Horne, Lou Vincent, Rob Nicol, Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning, Kyle Mills, Reece Young, Andre Adams, Paul Hitchcock, Kerry Walmsley, Keely Todd.

- NZPA