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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pata" data-source="post: 458222" data-attributes="member: 2136">How's this for short-term memory loss? New Zealand claim they've already forgotten their record defeat against Australia.All-rounder Jacob Oram, who could hardly have picked a better game to miss on Saturday, says New Zealand have put the 215-run debacle behind them and have turned their full attention to Wednesday's World Cup semifinal against Sri Lanka.Without Shane Bond and Oram, New Zealand's makeshift attack was hammered for 348 at the Grenada National Stadium.It was a total the batsmen could not even threaten - they lasted for just a tick over 25 overs.The result left New Zealand with only one win in the last three games of the second round, and with question marks over their ability to cope with Sri Lanka, and their motivation during the no-show against Australia.But Oram said the surrender at St Georges, while regrettable, had already been consigned to history in the minds of the team."It hasn't dented our confidence as much as some people would think," said Oram."We know [Wednesday] will be so much more important and that's purely where our focus is now; we've almost forgotten about yesterday."We weren't happy with the loss and we definitely wanted to win - but if we get up against Sri Lanka and make the final it's a whole new ball game."New Zealand lost by six wickets to Sri Lanka in their Super Eights match nine days ago after succumbing first to the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas - each of whom ended with three wickets - and then the batting of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara.Oram said his side were fully aware of the penetration and variety of the Sri Lankan bowling attack but were more stimulated than fearful about the upcoming challenge.And they had prepared with many hours of homework."I know [New Zealand captain] Stephen Fleming talks about Sri Lanka having one of the best attacks in the world and also one of the most unorthodox attacks in the world," Oram said. "But that's just as much exciting as it challenging."You're playing against one of the best spinners who's ever lived, and people like Vaas, who's unbelievably accurate and successful, and [Lasith] Malinga who's out of this world."We know it's going to be difficult but we've played them enough recently to have some plans to deal with them."Oram said the rest on Saturday had been good for the heel complaint that caused his absence against Australia, and he was raring to go in the semifinal."It'll be fine, or at least that's the plan anyway. It was purely a precautionary exercise."If it had been the semifinal I would have pushed it, but Sri Lanka's the bigger fixture and it's important that I'm right for that."</blockquote>

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