Latham leads NZ charge
Tom Latham’s unbeaten hundred and his century stand with Ross Taylor laid a solid foundation for New Zealand before rain brought an early end to day one of the second Test against England in Hamilton on Friday.
Latham was on 101 when the rain swept in, just three deliveries after the tea break with New Zealand 173 for three.
While Latham played down his 11th Test century as “nice”, England were left to regret dropping the left-hander on 66 and not meeting expectations after winning the toss and bowling first.
“On day one of a Test match if you get a team six or seven down by the close you’ve probably had a pretty good day,” said Chris Woakes who took two of the three wickets to fall.
Woakes was added to the England line up to give them five seamers on a wicket renowned to assist the side bowling first.
Instead England toiled for little reward, saw Ross Taylor benefit from a dubious decision during a century partnership with Latham and lost the use of Ben Stokes as a bowling weapon.
Stokes, who was also responsible for dropping Latham, felt pain in his left knee after bowling two overs and will be assessed overnight to see whether he can bowl again during the innings.
Latham has now scored five centuries in the last 10 Test innings but preferred to talk about “a reasonably good day” for New Zealand rather than focus on himself.
“Hopefully we can keep going and put a good score on the board,” he added, mindful that he had failed in the first Test when New Zealand posted 615 for nine declared to beat England by an innings.
His 11th century lifted him to equal sixth on the New Zealand century-makers list headed by Kane Williamson with 20.
Williamson, however, was off his best this innings when he was dismissed for four in a rocky start for New Zealand after Jeet Raval was removed for five.
SCORES IN BRIEF
NEW ZEALAND: First innings 173 for 3 (Latham 101 not out, Taylor 53; Woakes 2-41)
