Latham tons up again for Canty
Tom Latham can do little wrong in red ball cricket.
The New Zealand test opener has been scoring runs for fun in long form cricket and that continued on day two of Canterbury’s Plunket Shield match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
Latham struck his 18th firstclass ton, finishing unbeaten on 102 at stumps as Canterbury got through to 207-5, in reply to Wellington’s 525-7 declared.
The runs flowed again at the Basin with Latham following on from Wellington’s Black Cap-inwaiting Devon Conway, who dazzled with a career-best 327 not out.
Latham picked up where he left off on the Black Caps’ tour of Sri Lanka in September, where he scored 154 in the second test win in Colombo.
The left-hander, who will open for New Zealand in the upcoming two-test series against England alongside Jeet Raval, held the Canterbury innings together.
Latham and opener Chad Bowes combined for a 85-run opening stand, but after Bowes departed they slumped to 134-5.
Fellow Black Cap Henry Nicholls fell for 16, caught at short leg by Fraser Colson off Michael Bracewell’s part-time spin.
Latham was impressive for Canterbury, hitting 12 fours and a six in his 217-ball unbeaten knock.
Wellington 525-7 dec (Devon Conway 327no, Jamie Gibson 65, Malcolm Nofal 45; Matt Henry 3-100) met Canterbury 207-5 (Tom Latham 102no, Chad Bowes 46; Iain McPeake 2-43) at the Basin Reserve, Wellington.
George Worker shone with the bat to put Central Districts on top after the opening day against Northern Districts.
Worker, a one-time New Zealand limited overs international, was Central’s anchor, frustrating the Northern attack with 130 at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui.
It was Worker’s ninth firstclass ton, seeing off the threat of Black Caps’ fast bowling kingpin Trent Boult, who went wicketless for 81 runs from 23 overs.
Boult is only playing the last two T20s against England, getting in a Plunket Shield four-day match against Central, leading into the two-test series.
Fellow test bowler Neil Wagner nabbed the wicket of Central skipper Greg Hay, finishing with 1-84 from 25 overs on day one.
Worker added 151 for the third wicket with Brad Schmulian, who struck 60 before being held at second slip.
Central were 304-5 at stumps with Tom Bruce ending the day unbeaten on 41.
Seamer Brett Randell was the pick of the Northern bowlers, snaring 3-45 from 17 overs.
Cental Districts 304-5 (George Worker 130, Brad Schmulian 60, Tom Bruce 41no; Brett Randell 3-45) met Northern Districts at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
No play was possible on the opening day between Otago and Auckland in Dunedin due to persistent rain.