Oram serves notice of his talents

Worcestershire 270 for 9 dec (Smith 92, Malik 39*, Tuffey 4-57) and 0 for 1 trail New Zealanders 379 for 7 (Oram 103*, McMillan 86) by 109 runs
Scorecard

Jacob Oram grasped the first opportunity to showcase his talents, as New Zealand recovered from a dicey 168 for 5 to declare on 379 for 7, a lead of 109 over Worcestershire at New Road.

Oram's contribution was a superb unbeaten 103, from 120 balls with 14 fours and a six. He added 83 for the sixth wicket with Craig McMillan, who made 86, and by the time Daniel Vettori had lamped a 43-ball 51 from No. 8, Worcestershire were firmly on the ropes. There was just enough time for Shane Bond to cap New Zealand's day, with his fourth-ball wicket of Stephen Peters, as Worcestershire closed on 0 for 1.

After declaring overnight on 270 for 9, Worcestershire had made up for lost time as Matt Mason and Mark Harrity started strongly with the new ball. Michael Papps struggled to adapt to the conditions and fell to Mason for 1 after a tortuous 20-ball innings, and though Stephen Fleming started fluently with four boundaries, he miscued Harrity to square leg for 23 (46 for 2), where Steve Rhodes took a rare outfield catch, having handed over his wicketkeeping duties to Jamie Pipe.

Scott Styris and Richardson then added 53 in 11 overs, but on the stroke of lunch Rhodes was back in action again, as Styris drove loosely to cover to give Stephen Moore his maiden first-class wicket with only his 10th delivery (99 for 3). Richardson departed soon afterwards, lbw to Harrity, but New Zealand's predicament would have been even worse had Kadeer Ali not dropped McMillan in the gully when he had made just 7.

But instead, Oram and McMillan made hay. They added 83 in 19 overs, and when McMillan eventually chipped a simple catch to Mason at mid-off, Vettori came to the middle in a blaze of strokes. He and Oram added 99 in just 14 overs, and if England weren't already aware of the challenge that awaits them this summer, there's no doubt about it now.