Oram marks his arrival with an innings to cherish

Jacob Oram announced his arrival on the international stage in Christchurch today with a thrilling 59-run innings when taking on the Sri Lankan spinners.

Called into the New Zealand side for the second One-Day International against Zimbabwe at Wellington, he demonstrated a fine fielding technique and was a useful performer with the ball.

It was in Hamilton on Thursday that he offered a hint of what was coming with the bat when hitting 24 runs off Sri Lankan off spinner Kumar Dharmasena.

However, he was out in the next over.

But the big albatross of a man, who stands 2.01m tall and whose agility in the field makes him an awesome presence in the gully-point-covers area, was called in to bat at No 5 today ahead of the usual higher order players Lou Vincent and Craig McMillan, specifically to take on Dharmasena and Mutiah Muralitharan.

He was quickly into his stride and hit one ball onto the roof of the ground's No 3 stand from Muralitharan, a rare feat in international matches at the ground.

Three more sixes followed as he took on the Sri Lankan spin twins in a memorable 57-ball innings.

"Muralitharan is the best bowler I've faced. I've played a number of touring teams for Central Districts and in New Zealand A sides.

"He's hard to read and can spin it so much from different degrees.

"Being a big guy helps. I've got long reach and if I have to play back I don't have to go back so far. I'm enjoying the role of floating in the order," he said.

Oram, who last month captained his highly unfancied Central Districts side to a 2-1 win over Canterbury in the Shell Cup finals, the two wins being achieved on Canterbury's own turf, said he hoped today's effort would have gained him the respect of his team-mates.

"I've got a long way to go and if it's all about improving then that is what I am keen to do," he said.

Oram added that in another two or three years he would like to be considered an all-rounder in the New Zealand side.