Oram calls time on Test career

A succession of injuries prompted Jacob Oram to quit Test cricket, a move he hopes will extend his one-day career

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has announced his retirement from Test cricket but will continue to represent his country in the shorter forms of the game.

The 31-year-old, who missed the recent Champions Trophy with a hamstring problem, has been plagued by injuries during his international career and believes stepping away from the Test arena will allow him to prolong his stay at the top.

“This decision has been a very tough one and has not been made without careful consideration and discussion with those closest to me,” Oram said.

“The last few years have shown that my body cannot handle the strains and stresses that come with being an all-rounder, playing all three formats for up to 10 months a year.

“For the sake of longevity I have had to make a decision that will decrease my workload so I can concentrate all my efforts on the shorter forms of the game.”

The hard-hitting left-hander made his Test debut against India in Wellington in 2002 and in 33 Tests scored 1,780 runs, including five centuries, at an average of 36.32. He also took 60 wickets at 33.05 apiece with his brisk medium pace.

Oram, who will remain on a central contract with New Zealand Cricket, added: “The decision to choose limited-overs cricket over Test cricket has a lot to do with playing opportunities.

“The Black Caps play a lot more limited-overs cricket than Tests, and there’s also the opportunity to continue playing in world events such as the World Cup, World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy, as well as the IPL (Indian Premier League).

“The opportunity to spend more time at home with my family including my first child, due next month, is also a major reason for deciding to pull back on playing commitments and time away from home.”

Oram scored 1,780 runs at an average of 36.32 in 33 Tests, to complement the 60 wickets he took at 33.05 apiece

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Earlier this year Oram revealed he had considered playing as a batsman only following back, calf and Achilles problems which saw him miss the series against Australia and West Indies.

But he claimed the latest injury set-back in South Africa had made him realise that he could no longer put off a decision on his future.

“I have attempted to delay any decision about my future career path for some time now,” he said. “However, in light of my latest injury at the Champions Trophy it has became clear to me that now is the time to sacrifice something to try and stay in the game longer.

“I am hoping this decision extends my career. I do not want to put an exact time frame on that, as I have learnt that sometimes my body and my mind are on different wavelengths.

“The World Cup in 2011 is a major focus for me and I am highly motivated to be fit and firing for that.”

Oram was widely recognised as one of the finest all-rounders in the world when at his best, and is sure to remain a key figure in New Zealand’s one-day plans.

“I have really enjoyed my Test career and I leave that format with many fond memories,” he said. “I would be lying if I said I had no regrets. However, these feelings were not powerful enough to make me reconsider this decision.”

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said: “Jacob has made a tremendous contribution to our Test team over the past seven seasons, and his experience will be missed.

“But we fully understand the difficulties he’s faced with injuries and we hope this decision will help him prolong his playing career with the Black Caps.”