No. 5 not a position which is unfamiliar to me: Latham.
Tom Latham made his One-Day International debut batting in the middle order, but since January 2015 he hasn't batted at lower than No. 3. In his first innings at No. 5 in nearly three years, the left-hand batsman made a sparkling unbeaten century in Mumbai on Sunday (October 22), hauling New Zealand to a e six-wicket win over India in the first of three ODIs.
It helped, of course, that Latham had had two hits in warm-up games in the lead-up to the ODIs, both in Mumbai but at the Brabourne Stadium. He made a hundred in the second of those matches, and carried his form to the Wankhede Stadium nearby with a beautiful 103 not out that was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s successful chase of 281.
Slipping back to the middle order, Latham said on Tuesday, had hardly been difficult. “It was nice to have those two warm-up games beforehand; and contribute in those games and start against spin,” he said in Pune, on the eve of the second ODI. “I have played in that position (No. 5) before, when I started playing for New Zealand. So it’s not a position which is unfamiliar to me. It was more of a tactical shift than anything. Coming in the middle when the ball is a little bit softer and playing a bit more spin, it is nice that I adapted quickly.”
Latham used the sweep to great effect to negate the threat of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, the two Indian wrist spinners. “Everybody is different in the way they play spin in different conditions,” he offered. “I think the Indians play a different way, they are used to these conditions and they have got their game. One thing that comes to me is sweep that I have played throughout my career. It’s something that I find easier to play than hitting down the ground. The other guys may find hitting down the ground easier. It’s important to have different game plans for different conditions, and try and stick to that.
“We had a long layoff, Champions Trophy (in June) was our last game. A lot of work has been put behind the scenes, for the guys it’s been tough because we usually don’t step out because of winter and some guys have been playing in different leagues around the world. It’s slightly different preparations but I guess we are all probably joining in experiences that we have had here last year in terms of what we are going to get etc. We are taking that confidence into the series and it’s nice that we started well last year. We will try back it up tomorrow.”
Latham had a mixed Test tour of India this time last year, balancing three half-centuries with three single-digit scores, followed by two fifties, apart from 46 and 39, in the five-match ODI series. “Having that experience coming over here last year and contributing a little bit, it was nice to have that experience and I took a little bit of confidence from those games,” he acknowledged. “(I) put in a little bit of work in terms of coming over here and playing spin. On surfaces back home, they were a little bit drier and quite responsive to spin. That was a part of the preparation. The series started well and the preparations are coming off.
“It was obviously pleasing to make a contribution and be there till the end,” he added, then reflected on the fourth-wicket stand of 200 with Ross Taylor that tilted the game New Zealand’s way decisively. “The partnership which me and Ross put on was vital for that. Ross played very well and deserves credit. It was nice to keep the communication lines going. We have got one more game starting tomorrow, and if we play some good cricket, then hopefully we would give us a chance of winning the series.”
Latham has also been given wicketkeeping responsibilities, but said he was none the worse for the experience. “It was very hot the other day and we were out to field first. The conditions were the hottest, it was obviously very sweaty and lost a lots of fluid. I think it’s credit to having the right training… the running programmes and gym programmes in place. Guys had one tour off to build their strengths.”