Published: May 30, 2015, 09:57 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 01, 2015, 11:17 AM (IST)
New Zealand were in early trouble on Day One of the second Test against England at Headingley before Tom Latham battled hard for his 84. However, after being dropped numerous times he eventually threw it away himself. Nikhil Popat writes about the let-ups and let-downs Latham witnessed on Day One.
New Zealand are trailing England in the series, down 0-1. They are coming off a high-voltage ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. They are the aggressive bunch of players who back their instincts. Tom Latham perhaps does not look the most dangerous of the lot, but he can score big; and that is what matters.
It was raining at Headingley. The first session was washed out, but England won the toss and inserted New Zealand in to bat. There was still rain in the air, but Brendon McCullum was not so not upset about batting first. These are times batsmen do not enjoy batting; when there is something in the air for the new ball.
The James Anderson scare
James Anderson is on the verge of history. Tom Latham is not taking strike, he waits at the other end. Anderson bowls an out-swinger, Martin Guptill edges it to Ian Bell at second slip; his 400th Test wicket. To Latham’s horror, he watches Kane Williamson caught behind two balls later. New Zealand are two down with just two on the board. Ross Taylor can attack, but will he?
Latham does that off the very first ball he faces off Anderson. Anderson is pumped up, swinging it both ways; should Latham drive? He does. A good ball outside off, Latham goes for the drive, leans into it, and gets a boundary. This is Anderson; but Latham is not fussed. He clips the next one wide of mid on for another boundary. The wickets may have fallen but the runs are coming.
Latham then hits one more to the mid-wicket fence off Broad; but he has another scare, an appeal for caught-behind. Broad celebrates, then appeals, he always thinks he has his man even before the umpire decides. To Latham’s shock, S Ravi gives it out. Latham calls for the review, he survives as there was no bat there. Time to bat on says Tom to himself.
Anderson is seen off, but rain interrupts again. Such is the day. Latham trudges back to his crease. He starts off cautiously, not wanting to lose his groove. Latham then goes through a testing phase. A couple of balls from Wood trouble him. He goes after the width but does not make connection. He corrects that in the next over he faces from Wood; a short and wide one is cut to the fence, the fuller one is sliced over point for a boundary, but the best comes after it: a strong whip off the pads to the square leg fence.
Battling teammates
For the next 21 balls, Latham does not get the boundaries. New Zealand are a bit cautious, with Taylor having just got out. He gets his first nervy moment when he edges a fuller one past his stumps. Latham scampers for a single, Jos Buttler has a shy at the stumps, misses, and Latham gets five. He is on 49 now.
McCullum is racing along going for his shots at the other end. A firm push to covers gives Latham his fifty, his fifth in Test cricket. There is not much of a celebration; just a quiet raise of the bat. He knows there is more work to do. He has led New Zealand well as they head to Tea.
First over after tea, and McCullum holes out to mid off. Mark Wood takes the catch, Stokes rejoices, and Latham has his head down. He knows he needs to play through now, for his team-mates have deserted him. It starts to play on him. The stride is missing, the confidence dipping a tad. Moeen Ali traps him in front. England review it, but the umpire spots the inside edge. Latham survives.
The fight within
Latham is into his shell now, under pressure. For some reason he wishes to sweep Ali. It was a shot he employed against Yasir Shah when the Kiwis toured UAE. But this time the ball is turning away. Ali traps him in front of the stumps again. It looks close. Latham is lucky as the umpire gives it not out. England and Cook cannot believe it, the review awards the umpire’s call. Had it been declared out initially, Lathams’ review would have yielded the opposite result.
Ali is bowling a good line. Luke Ronchi has scored a fifty on Test debut. Latham starts to look for the ball. He sweeps one hard to backward square leg, where Wood drops the catch. Next ball, Latham looks to clip it away to fine leg. Gary Ballance is waiting at leg slip, but drops him. Latham survives.
England are in a generous mood, as Broad returns for another spell. He dishes out a full toss. Latham is delighted; he comes forward and drives it to the cover fence. And then it happens; Broad finds the outside edge, as Latham pokes at a length ball outside off. This time Alastair Cook, at first slip, goes to his left. It’s another drop. Three lives in eight balls. A century is there for the taking. Latham guides one nicely past gully for a boundary, he is on 84 now.
The players take drinks. Just 12 overs to go to close of play. Ronchi hit a four and six in the previous over off Ali. Cook had dropped the catch, he takes himself out of the slips, and puts Joe Root in. Broad continues. He bowls an innocuous length ball on off. Latham wants to drive, and pushes his bat with hard hands. The edge is found. Root is not Cook. Latham’s laborious battle is over.
Latham puts his head down and walks towards the dressing room. He knows he gave it away. He battled James Anderson. He battled the abandonment by his teammates. He rode his luck. But in the end, he was unable to beat himself. Latham wonders if the aggression has got the better of them again. He will have one more shot in this match, one more battle to conquer.
(Nikhil Popat is a die hard cricket enthusiast and a PotterHead till the end of time. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)
