Oram ruled out of second Test

New Zealand allrounder, Jacob Oram, will miss the second Test against Bangladesh starting on Saturday in Dhaka due to a back injury. He experienced pain after bowling in Bangladesh's second innings in the first Test in Chittagong and underwent scans in Dhaka.

Oram will return home after watching the opening day of the Test for further assessment of the injury. Grant Elliott, the allrounder who made his debut against England in Napier back in March, is likely to replace him.

"Oram is flying back because of a sore back and we are not sure about the extent of his injury but he has a history of back problems so the people who know his injury and have dealt with it will assess him again," Lindsay Crocker, the team manager, said.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell admitted the Chittagong heat had taken a toll on both teams, particularly the fast bowlers. "We've worked pretty heavily on their recovery," he told the New Zealand Herald. "We're constantly weighing them and trying to get the right foods and fluid into them. "He [Oram] was struggling with pain in his lower back."

Oram's condition deteriorated when bowling late on Sunday and was rested before Bangladesh were dismissed for 245 - setting New Zealand 317 to win, a target they reached with three wickets in hand. He nevertheless took part in the successful run-chase and was unbeaten on 8 as New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

He played a big part in the one-day series which New Zealand came from behind to win 2-1, and was named Man of the Series for his performance with both bat and ball which also propelled him to the top of the ICC ODI allrounder rankings.

Injuries have dogged Oram throughout his career. He suffered a hamstring strain during New Zealand's last tour, in England earlier this year. He pulled out of the only Twenty20 of the tour at Old Trafford after hurting himself in the warm-up. He was ruled out for the first three ODIs only to return for the remaining two matches.