Latham, Blundell to job share

Tom Latham has already embraced the ominous task of inheriting Brendon Mccullum’s batting slot in the Black Caps ODI team, and soon he will be challenged to resemble Adam Gilchrist when Australia defend the Chappell-hadlee Trophy in New Zealand.

While was never expected to replicate the batting pyrotechnics of Mccullum - once the Black Caps skipper retired after Australia’s previous last February - or the legendary Gilchrist, Latham is in line to open the batting and keep wicket when the three-match series starts at Eden Park on Monday.

Although Tom Blundell was described as the 14-man squad’s ‘‘frontline’’ wicketkeeper when the team was released on Sunday, Latham will also don the gloves if selectors Mike Hesson and Gavin Larsen - in consultation with Kane Williamson - opt to include strengthen the middle order or bowling unit against the world champions.

Blundell, who made his Twenty20 debut against Bangladesh when Luke Ronchi suffered a groin strain mid-series, appeals as a long-term successor to his Wellington teammate in the limited overs formats and even at test level when 31-year-old BJ Watling pulls stumps.

But the selectors might also be wary of giving Blundell, 26, too much exposure to an Australian team that obliterated the Black Caps in the first leg of the Chappell-hadlee Trophy across the Tasman in December.

The Black Caps were unsuccessful chasing mammoth totals at the SCG (324-8) and Manuka Oval (378-5) so fielding as many allround options as possible may be prudent rather than a promising keeper-batsman in the pivotal No.7 position.

Saddling Latham with the gloves also carries an element of risk as the 24-year-old has rarely kept wicket after the Canterbury age-group gloveman chose to focus on batting as a means of making the Black Caps.

Latham has kept in three of his 49 ODIS - in the West Indies in 2012 twice and also in Bangladesh the following year, he took three catches, made a stumping and conceded five byes.

He also deputised when Watling was injured during tests at Lord’s in 2015 and Bulawayo last August and will replace Cam Fletcher behind the stumps when Canterbury host Auckland in the Ford Trophy in Rangiora on Saturday.

Providing Latham catches on to his old specialist role, he could be multi-tasking two days later at international level even if that robs Williamson of an energetic outfielder.

Hesson said a decision would be made on the eve of the series opener .

‘‘If we went with Tom Latham we’re able to have another power player in the middle order who gives us an extra bowling option. Tom [Blundell] is also a creative player in the middle there.’’

‘‘We’ve used Tom in the past spasmodically and he’s a very good job for us,’’ said Hesson, who hoped Auckland would give Latham a 50-over workout.

A productive innings would also be handy after those exertions although Latham is clearly in form after averaging 54.33 in the ODIS against Bangladesh and 100.66 in the tests - he cracked career-best centuries in both formats.

Latham was not alone in receiving a confidence boost from the Bangladeshis after a torrid time across the Tasman, where three bats yielded 34 runs at 11.33.

Colin de Grandhomme also finished the Bangladesh rout with a blistering 15-ball cameo worth 31 while Trent Boult and Tim Southee shared 15 wickets at Hagley Oval, and the latter reached the 200 test wicket milestone.

‘‘They’ve got a little bit of confidence at the moment so hopefully they’re in a good space.’’

Meanwhile, Hesson took no solace from David Warner being rested from series along with batsman Usman Khawaja.

Warner amassed 299 runs against the Kiwis in December, with a best of 256; he averages 78.3 from his last 10 ODI innings and has celebrated five centuries with his customary jump for joy.

‘‘I think they’ve got plenty of good players,’’ was Hesson’s realistic reaction, given Australia’s recent domination.