Published: Dec 28, 2018, 06:44 AM (IST)
Edited: Dec 28, 2018, 06:44 AM (IST)
Tom Latham has surpassed Glenn Turner to become the second most successful Test opener for New Zealand, moving past the iconic former captain during the course of his eighth Test hundred – the second most for New Zealand openers – in the second Test in Christchurch against Sri Lanka on Friday.
On day three at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, Latham moved past Turner’s mark of 2828 runs as an opener to move behind John Wright (5260). By lunch, Latham was batting on 118 to take his Test run tally as opener to 2868 in his 40th match. (ALSO READ: Tom Latham hundred takes New Zealand’s lead past 400)
New Zealand were 327/3 with a lead of 401 in their second innings.
NEW ZEALAND’s TOP FIVE TEST OPENERS
| Player | Span | M | I | Runs | HS | Avg | 100s |
| J Wright | 1978-1993 | 80 | 144 | 5260 | 185 | 38.11 | 12 |
| T Latham | 2014-2018 | 40 | 72 | 2868 | 264* | 42.17 | 8 |
| G Turner | 1969-1983 | 38 | 67 | 2828 | 259 | 45.61 | 7 |
| M Richardson | 2000-2004 | 38 | 64 | 2770 | 145 | 44.67 | 4 |
| G Dowling | 1961-1972 | 36 | 71 | 2177 | 239 | 31.55 | 3 |
Left-hander Latham – whose unbeaten 264 in the drawn first Test is the top score in Test cricket this year – reached his latest milestone with a boundary off Suranga Lakmal late in the morning session. Only Wright has scored more Test hundreds as an opener for New Zealand, with 12. Turner scored seven.
Former New Zealand captain and coach of India Wright scored 5260 runs in 144 Test innings, at an average of 38.11.
Latham’s batting average as Test opener, at lunch on day three, had reached 42.17. This is his first Test hundred in his home city, Christchurch.
The 26-year-old had a tough time against Pakistan in the UAE recently, scoring 13, 0, 22, 50, 4, and 10 in the three Tests, but back in New Zealand he has racked up consecutive hundreds against Sri Lanka.
