Latham joins elite test club
CANTABRIAN Tom Latham batted his way into the record books against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve — and then kept going.
During a flawless day’s batting on day three of the first test, Latham racked up a phenomenal 264 not out — the sixthhighest score in New Zealand test cricket — as he completely bossed a Sri Lankan bowling attack all over the famous Wellington ground.
It was the largest total by any test batsman in 2018, and Latham remained unbowed at the end of it, recording the highest score of anyone to carry their bat in test cricket. After a marathon 489 balls and 694 minutes at the crease, Latham walked off to a standing ovation as New Zealand reached a mammoth 578. He was responsible for 45% of the tally.
In response, Sri Lanka again collapsed, slumping to 20 for three before stumps, still trailing by 276 runs.
In just 12 overs after Latham walked off, Trent Boult trapped Danushka Gunathilaka lbw for three, Tim Southee bowled Dhananjaya de Silva for a duck, and Dimuth Karunaratne sprayed a wild hook shot down the throat of Boult for Southee’s second scalp, and eighth of the match.
The weather forecast predicts rain on day five, but it would be a shock if Sri Lanka even made it that far, requiring a Lathamesque knock of its own for the test to end in anything but an absolute thrashing.
Frankly, the Sri Lankans must be sick of the sight of the Basin. The last time they were here, Kane Williamson hit 242 — somehow now the thirdbest score against Sri Lanka in Wellington, after Martin Crowe’s 299 and Latham’s effort.
Four of New Zealand’s top six individual innings have now come against Sri Lanka, and Latham’s knock was as good as any of them. Resuming on 121, Latham barely offered the visitors a chance in his second day at
the crease in what could be a careerdefining knock.
The 26yearold opener cruised along at a comfortable pace, accumulating runs with ease, playing some textbook cover drives, and generally compiling a definitive opener’s innings.
After struggling on the recent tour of the United Arab Emirates where he averaged just 16.5, Latham talked about still having complete trust in his game, and he displayed all of that confidence as he pummelled the poor Sri Lankan attack.
He was never rash in his shotmaking, and was everpresent in a slew of demoralising partnerships. He added 114 with Henry Nicholls, who continued his strong form with a solid 50, and then combined for 73 with Colin de Grandhomme, who punched a customarily quick 49.
As they plundered, the records started to fall. Latham brought up his 200 in 412 balls, clipping a single through midwicket, becoming the 15th Black Cap to notch a test double century.
He had bigger things in his sights, though, and started to hit out as the tail was exposed, becoming the eighth New Zealander to reach 250. With a six he moved past Glenn Turner’s 259 on the alltime list, and he surpassed Stephen Fleming’s 262 before he eventually ran out of partners, on 264, after 157 overs of brilliance.
The Basin crowd rose to their feet to applaud him off, and the New Zealand bowlers then signalled their intent to rip through the Sri Lankan batting to deliver what would be a dominant victory. — NZME