KEY POINTS:
Jacob Oram appears resigned to missing New Zealand's cricket World Cup opener against England next month after fracturing a finger against Australia in Friday's Chappell-Hadlee Trophy opener in Wellington.
The allrounder was to visit a specialist in Hamilton today for further assessment on the ring finger on his left hand but New Zealand Cricket are braced for the rehabilitation period encompassing the Black Caps first pool game in the West Indies island of St Lucia on March 16.
Oram will fly out with the team on February 28 and should be fit in time to take on minnows Kenya and Canada before the tournament cranks up with the Super Eight stage from March 27.
Initial scans revealed a fracture sustained when the finger bent inwards as he took an outfield catch to dismiss Mitchell Johnson.
A measure of discomfort was eased by New Zealand's 10-wicket win and Oram's outlook improved further yesterday as the Black Caps secured the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with a game in hand.
Oram watched the pursuit of 337 with the loss of only five wickets on a smallish Eden Park layout tailormade for his power hitting.
Ironically, New Zealand missed his presence with the ball rather than the bat yesterday as Australia bludgeoned their way to 336 for four.
The absence of a specialist fifth bowling option impacted adversely on New Zealand's decision to field first as Michael Hussey led a staggering assault.
Scott Styris, Craig McMillan and Lou Vincent -- bowling for the first time in one-dayers since delivering two balls against Pakistan in 2001/02 -- divvied up 11 overs that cost a neat 100 runs.
However, the decision to replace Oram with Peter Fulton rather than left armer James Franklin ultimately paid dividends as he helped coordinate the run chase with a pivotal 76 off 65 balls.
Earlier, New Zealand's front line bowling was also savaged by the Australians with Daryl Tuffey copping the bulk of the punishment by conceding 80 off 10 overs.
It was a sad return to Eden Park for the 78-match veteran whose last cap in Auckland hastened a two-year international exile after he leaked 25 off two forgettable overs.
Fortunately he did not replicate the 14 ball opening over he produced against Australia in 2005 though he conceded five wides and nine runs overall in his first over and never settled on a rhythm.
He has one more chance to justify his World Cup selection with the Chappell-Hadlee dead rubber scheduled for his home ground Seddon Park in Hamilton tomorrow.
- NZPA
