9:19 AM
Happy new year 2012
DANIEL RICHARDSON
Jacob Oram may know on Friday whether he features in New Zealand Cricket's plans for the future.
The 1.98m all-rounder has been back in Palmerston North for three weeks following his stint in the fourth instalment of the IPL in India.
There he was an injury replacement for England's Paul Collingwood with the Rajasthan Royals.
With the New Zealand contract list of their top 20 players set to be announced on July 1, Oram has his meeting with the top brass in Christchurch on Friday, including new director of cricket John Buchanan, coach John Wright and interim selector Mark Greatbatch.
Following some handy performances at the World Cup in the sub-continent earlier this year, Oram said he was keen to play for at least another season if he was wanted.
"My body isn't too bad and I still feel like I've got something to offer," Oram told the Manawatu Standard.
"Maybe more in terms of a mentoring-type role ... For this season at least. I'm not looking past this season."
Oram said if he was given the bad news that he was not required in the top 20 list, he would still pull on the Central Districts uniform this summer.
"I'd probably like to play one last game, or series or season with them."
Oram has been enjoying some down time at home following the IPL and said he had not done anything too strenuous during the past couple of weeks.
The next Black Caps assignment is not until October, with a scheduled tour of Zimbabwe and Oram said he will not get in to cricket-specific training until August, although fitness work is on the horizon for next month.
A former junior representative football goalkeeper, the 32-year-old said he had fielded a few requests to don the boots and gloves, but he wasn't about to play his first competitive game since 1996.
"I've had a couple of offers already from various teams and guys."
The IPL was certainly something that flew under the radar in New Zealand, courtesy of no TV coverage, but Oram said it was still played with a lot of fanfare in India.
Rajasthan's home stadium in Jaipur was sold out for every game, with just under 20,000 punters turning up.
Following the retirement of leg-spinning legend Shane Warne, Oram said it was great to get the chance to take the field with him during Warne's last hurrah where he was player-coach for the Royals.
"It was awesome and that was one of the reasons I chose Rajasthan."
Oram only featured in two games for the Royals and it remained unclear if he would play for them next year as he was signed on an injury-replacement deal.
It's understood Rajasthan, who finished sixth of the 10 teams, have the first rights to him.
- Manawatu Standard
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