WELINGTON: Injury-plagued New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram announced today he is retiring from Test cricket in a bid to prolong his career in the shorter forms of the game.

The 31-year-old, forced out of the recent Champions Trophy with a hamstring injury, said he would continue to be available for one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket. "For the sake of longevity I have had to make a decision that will decrease my workload, so I can concentrate all my efforts on the shorter forms of the game," Oram said.

Oram, who made his Test debut in 2002, scored 1,780 runs in 33 matches at an average of 36.32, including five centuries. He took 60 wickets at 33.05, taking over from Chris Cairns as New Zealand's top all-rounder.