Oram fit for Sri Lanka showdown

Sri Lanka Cricket / Editor / 23 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

New Zealand have been given a boost after all-rounder Jacob Oram insisted he will be fit for Tuesday's semi-final showdown with Sri Lanka.

The big-hitting Kiwi missed Friday's record 215-run defeat at the hands of Australia because of a long-standing heel problem but he has insisted he will be available to face Sri Lanka in Jamaica.

Oram said: "It'll be fine, or at least that's the plan anyway. It was purely a precautionary exercise.

"If it had been the semi-final I would have pushed it, but Sri Lanka's the bigger fixture and it's important that I'm right for that."

Oram also moved to dismiss Ricky Ponting's claims that the Black Caps' confidence would have been knocked by their humbling at the hands of the old enemy and insists the result has been consigned to history.

"It hasn't dented our confidence as much as some people would think," he said.

"We know Tuesday will be so much more important and that's purely where our focus is now; we've almost forgotten about it.

"We weren't happy with the loss and we definitely wanted to win - but if we get up against Sri Lanka and make the final it's a whole new ball game."

Although New Zealand should welcome back both Oram and strike bowler Shane Bond, who also missed the Australia defeat, Sri Lanka are favourites at 1.74 to win on Tuesday, with the Black Caps available at 2.34.

New Zealand are also the outsiders at 6.6 in the outright winner market, behind Australia at 2, Sri Lanka at 5.3 and South Africa at 5.9.