The New Zealand Herald

Latham looks real deal

Gloveman puts his hand up early for 2019 World Cup with accomplish­ed displays in India

- Andrew Alderson

The New Zealand cricketers will seldom get more clarity about the state of their oneday internatio­nal side than after yesterday’s 2-1 series loss to India.

At the risk of squelching into apologists’ quicksand, the six-run defeat chasing 338 to win the Kanpur decider provided clues as to their best XI for a World Cup which is 19 months away in England.

The Black Caps failed in their sixth attempt since 1988 to win an ODI series in India, but to come within two bat flourishes of their highest successful overseas chase made for compelling viewing.

Tom Latham was the revelation of the series, morphing from a specialist test opener to a middle order limited overs wicketkeep­er-batsman.

A theory once persisted that Latham would struggle to succeed as a gloveman at internatio­nal level. He shook that hypothesis to the core with athletic displays, conceding no byes and taking two catches across the three games. Add in his confidence batting against spin. Latham made 206 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 95, including an unbeaten century at Mumbai. He seemed ready made as a No 5.

Latham looked capable of orchestrat­ing a victory in Kanpur, but exited for 65 off 52 balls after a run out mix-up with Colin de Grandhomme when New Zealand needed 26 runs to win from 14 balls.

Captain Kane Williamson singled out Latham, alongside a pair of useful Henry Nicholls’ knocks, as boosting their middle order prowess.

Earlier this year Colin Munro was a player considered ripe to pursue a freelance T20 career. In India he looked capable of forming a left handright hand ODI opening combinatio­n with Martin Guptill.

Munro is understood to have bonded well with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum as part of the Trinbago Knight Riders in this year’s Caribbean Premier League. Perhaps he got some tips?

In the final ODI, Munro showcased his credential­s with 75 from 62 balls. He demonstrat­ed customary aggression against pace, but perhaps his best attribute came against spin.

Munro appeared to play balls on their merit off the pitch rather than through the air, but gritted out a decent tenure before succumbing to legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

One area which could provoke scrutiny ahead of the World Cup will be whether de Grandhomme plays a starting XI role. Given form and fitness, he would presumably contest for the No 7 all-rounder spot against Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham.

De Grandhomme has proven capable of sound 30s at around a run a ball, and made his top score in nine ODI innings with 41 from 40 balls at Pune.

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