At a glance
33, 4, 0, 19, 5, 0
century in domestic first-class cricket this year – the others are Auckland duo Guptill (whose average in five innings is 46.2) and Graeme Beghin (43.5 in six), Central Stags duo George Worker (36.23 in 13) and Greg Hay (32.9 in 13), Northern Districts wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, who scored 119 in his only dig at the top, and Latham.
But would the selectors want to throw a debutant into the fray away against Australia, who boast a fearsome new-ball attack that will be fuelled by large crowds at themcg and SCG, or to return to Guptill, who has already played 40 tests as an opener and been found wanting?
Former NZ batsman Mark Richardson thinks it’s time to make a change, even if selectors are forced to turn to a makeshift opener such as Daryl Mitchell.
‘‘I know New Zealand want to send a settled opening partnership but you’ve got a guy who is out of form, and you’ve got guys who are confident and feeling great about their cricket,’’ Richardson said in Sky Sport commentary.
‘‘Sometimes you have to go ‘you know what, we’re forced into this so let’s just go with the blokes we trust to make runs right now, our form cricketers’.
‘‘Just say ‘look, you’re going to be opening, get your head around it. It isn’t that much different.’’
Looking past the transTasman series, the first test against India starts a day before the Plunket Shield resumes, so even if a change is needed only then, there won’t be a chance for potential contenders to further stake a claim.
If a change is deemed necessary while the team is in Australia, it could mean a reshuffle of the pack, but the rest of the Black Caps’ top six have all performed strongly and the risk of creating problems elsewhere will make