Oram: 'This tour is huge for me'
Jacob Oram showed an effective technique to score the second first-class hundred of his career
Anand Vasu
03-Oct-2003
Jacob Oram showed an effective technique to score the second first-class hundred of his career. On a day when soaring temperatures tested the concentration and focus of batsmen and bowlers alike, he came through with flying colours. Here's what he said after the close of play:
On the importance of this hundred
I've only hit one prior to this, so any hundred I'm very happy with. I have made a lot of 90s in my career and I was often at a stage where I was only a couple of runs away from three figures, a milestone that I couldn't get to, so I was pretty happy today. I have fallen short a couple of times and I wanted to make it count today, especially on an international tour.
I've only hit one prior to this, so any hundred I'm very happy with. I have made a lot of 90s in my career and I was often at a stage where I was only a couple of runs away from three figures, a milestone that I couldn't get to, so I was pretty happy today. I have fallen short a couple of times and I wanted to make it count today, especially on an international tour.
On the fact that Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle have been short of runs
There's no worry in the camp about that. These guys are quality players. Nathan unfortunately got a first-baller the other day. But the way he has been striking it in the nets, there's nothing to worry about from our point of view. Hopefully in the second innings tomorrow they can get some runs, or spend some time at the wicket at any rate.
There's no worry in the camp about that. These guys are quality players. Nathan unfortunately got a first-baller the other day. But the way he has been striking it in the nets, there's nothing to worry about from our point of view. Hopefully in the second innings tomorrow they can get some runs, or spend some time at the wicket at any rate.
On whether he is a batting or a bowling allrounder
I want to be an allrounder who bats and bowls equally. In the past, especially in the one-dayers, I've been more of a bowling allrounder. I started my first-class career as a batsman and two years into it, I started bowling. I want to get my batting up to scratch, or at least up to where the bowling is. I have done a bit of work to do that and the dividends are already starting to pay.
I want to be an allrounder who bats and bowls equally. In the past, especially in the one-dayers, I've been more of a bowling allrounder. I started my first-class career as a batsman and two years into it, I started bowling. I want to get my batting up to scratch, or at least up to where the bowling is. I have done a bit of work to do that and the dividends are already starting to pay.
On what this tour means to his career
I think it is huge because I have only played four Tests. This was a very sporting wicket. I took a lot of confidence from the Sri Lanka tour from playing Murali on spinning wickets. This might be similar so we should take the same game-plan and approach to the game. From a personal point of view, I will be trying to approach the Tests in the way I did in Sri Lanka.
I think it is huge because I have only played four Tests. This was a very sporting wicket. I took a lot of confidence from the Sri Lanka tour from playing Murali on spinning wickets. This might be similar so we should take the same game-plan and approach to the game. From a personal point of view, I will be trying to approach the Tests in the way I did in Sri Lanka.
On the wicket at Rajkot
The wicket was pretty good. It had a bit of pace and bounce in it - kind of what we didn't expect when we came here. We thought it would be slower and lower and take a lot of turn. It's nice to come across something that had some bounce and carry. What I did experience from the wicket when batting I didn't pass on to the guys, they knew all about it. You just have to bang it in to see what life you can get out of it.
The wicket was pretty good. It had a bit of pace and bounce in it - kind of what we didn't expect when we came here. We thought it would be slower and lower and take a lot of turn. It's nice to come across something that had some bounce and carry. What I did experience from the wicket when batting I didn't pass on to the guys, they knew all about it. You just have to bang it in to see what life you can get out of it.