MANCHESTER, June 14: Jacob Oram could miss the rest of New Zealand’s tour of England after the tall all-rounder sustained a left hamstring injury while warming up for the Twenty20 International on Friday.

Oram, subsequently unable to play any part in New Zealand’s nine-wicket defeat, could now miss the rest of the tour after Daniel Vettori, the tourists’ captain’ said he risked being sidelined for “seven to ten days”.

World Cup semi-finalists New Zealand play the first of five One-day Internationals against England in Chester-le-Street on Sunday with the final match of the series at Lord’s on June 28.

“It’s a huge injury, he’s one of the best all-rounders in the world,” Vettori said of Oram after New Zealand suffered their seventh successive Twenty20 defeat.

“He could be out of seven to 10 days and could struggle for the rest of the series,” the left-arm spinner added.

“I wouldn’t say we were shell-shocked because Jacob’s been injured before. But you would expect someone to pick up the slack.”

Oram, 29, scored a century in the drawn first Test at Lord’s and featured in all three matches of the series England won 2-0.

An economical pace bowler and hard-hitting batsman, the tall Oram was also a key member of the New Zealand side that reached the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup in the Caribbean, averaging 33 with the bat and 25 with the ball.

However, his career has been interrupted by a series of injuries, including foot and back problems.

His absence would leave New Zealand, who also reached the last four of of inaugural World Twenty20, facing a dilemma over how to balance their side but, after Friday’s match, Vettori’s thoughts were with Oram.—AFP