Cut my finger off and call me Jacob

Jacob Oram has said he would happily amputate his broken finger if it means he would be able to play in the World Cup. Oram broke his ring finger whilst dropping a catch against Australia in the Chappel-Hadlee series in New Zealand.

Now, call me cynical, but surely amputating part of your body is not the best physical preparation for a World Cup? I don’t think it’s a simple case of “lop it off, couple of paracetamol, back to hitting sixes”. I think he’s underestimating how important all his little pinkies are to the control of a cricket bat.

“If it means cutting the finger off, if that’s the worse-case scenario, if that’s the last resort, I’ll do that, there’s no way I’m missing this,” he told NZPA.

(Source)

I suppose you have to admire his patriotism and his determination, but it sounds bloody ridiculous to me.