Latham does his Bradman impression
It’s not easy to average 200 across an entire home season of test cricket. The greatest, Don Bradman, did it once, way back in the Australian summer of 1931-32.
New Zealand opener Tom Latham, for now, is the only other batsman on that lofty perch, of those who topped 500 runs in a home season.
Latham returns to his happy place at Wellington’s Basin Reserve for today’s second test against Bangladesh with a mindboggling average of 203.67 from his last four innings.
It all began at the Basin against Sri Lanka in December when he produced a thirdlongest and sixth-highest New Zealand test knock of 264 not out, in 694 minutes.
A first innings of 10 in the Boxing Day test was followed by 176 in the Black Caps’ seriesclinching win over Sri Lanka.
Then after the white-ball onslaught he plundered 161 in the first test against Bangladesh in Hamilton, his ninth test century which left him ahead of Bradman’s average of 201.5 from four home tests against South Africa 87 years ago.
It’s some task to maintain those stellar numbers in Wellington and Christchurch for Latham who channelled his skipper Kane Williamson when asked.
‘‘You don’t really think about that sort of stuff, it’s about doing your role for the side. If we’re asked to bat tomorrow morning it will be a challenge, we haven’t batted first a huge amount this summer,’’ he said.
A challenge, firstly, because the Metservice forecasts heavy morning rain in Wellington today and showers tomorrow before the weather improves.
If the pitch is under cover for lengthy periods that may assist the pacemen when play finally gets under way, with the Black Caps 1-0 up after their innings and 52 run win in Hamilton.
Latham observed more grass this time than the docile, windblown strip served up in December when Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis batted out a draw after a wicketless fourth day.
‘‘I really enjoy coming to the Basin, obviously a ground that has some good memories for me but looking at that surface, it does look reasonably green so it’s about starting again and forgetting what happened last week and last test here and sticking to my own plans.’’
Whoever wins the toss will want to bowl first and, as always at the Basin, it will be about how
long the quicks can generate seam or swing before it becomes a batsman’s dream.
Before the Sri Lanka draw, the previous four Basin tests were won by the side bowling first. That included New Zealand over Bangladesh two years ago when the tourists were sent in and posted 595-8 declared, before Latham’s 176 and Neil Wagner’s barrage hauled it back for a seven-wicket win.
Of the two Bangladesh topscorers in that match, Shakib Al Hasan remains sidelined and Mushfiqur Rahim batted in the nets on Wednesday but was rated unlikely to return.
It puts the onus back on Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar and captain Mahmudullah to carry the runscoring burden after all three put the home attack under pressure on a flat one in Hamilton.
Latham was even asked by a senior Bangladesh cricket writer if the visiting pace attack of Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed was the weakest he’d faced, after he and Jeet Raval plundered 254 for the first wicket.
‘‘Certainly this surface will offer a bit more and I’m sure if they bowl the same way they’ll get more opportunities,’’ he said.
Wagner, Tim Southee and Trent Boult will hope for more joy from the pitch, too, as the world’s second-ranked side looks to close out a fifth successive series victory with a test to spare.