New Zealand's skipper Tom Latham remained the cynosure of all eyes as he clobbered a stellar double ton against Bangladesh on Day 2 of the second Test at Hagley Oval on Monday (January 10). Latham belted 252 off 373 which was well complemented by Devon Conway's brilliant knock of 109 off 166 which spurred Kiwis to pile up a mammoth first innings score of 521/6 dec. Tom Blundell also chipped in with a sedate 57 in the middle.In reply, Bangladesh is limping at 13/4 till lunch as Tim Southee and Trent Boult displayed a clinical show with two wickets each.
Latham's knock has given him a place in the list of New Zealand’s no.1 captain from a perspective. In fact, had Latham scored 16 more runs, he would have become the New Zealand opener to score most runs in Test cricket. This record is currently registered in the name of Brian Young, who scored an unbeaten 267 against Sri Lanka in the year 1997.
This is not the first time the 29-year-old has hit the double century. His remained 12 runs short from his previous best which is 264 not out, which he scored against Sri Lanka in the year 2018. This is also the second biggest score of a Test opener from New Zealand.
Latham, leading the test team in the absence of injured regular skipper Kane Williamson, hit 34 boundaries and two sixes in his marathon knock.
It was also the highest score for any player in tests at Hagley Oval and the first time a batter has been dismissed for 252 in test history.
Captain Latham has also achieved a feat of becoming the fourth highest scorer for New Zealand in Test cricket being an opener. Former skipper Brendon McCullum sits atop with the highest individual score of 302 runs while Martin Crowe is at second spot with 299 runs and Stephen Fleming remains at no.3 with 274. Being a Kiwi skipper, Latham also entered this elite list with a hope of someday topping the list given his surge in Test cricket.
Highest men's test individual scores for NZ
Brendon McCullum 302 v India, Wellington, 2014
Martin Crowe 299 v Sri Lanka, Wellington, 1991
Ross Taylor 290 v Australia, Perth, 2015
Stephen Fleming 274 not out v Sri Lanka, Colombo, 2003
Bryan Young 267 not out v Sri Lanka, Dunedin, 1997
Tom Latham 264 not out v Sri Lanka, Wellington, 2018
Fleming 262 v South Africa, Cape Town, 2006
Glenn Turner 259 v West Indies, Georgetown, 1972
Latham 252 v Bangladesh, Christchurch, 2022
Kane Williamson 251 v West Indies, Hamilton, 2020
After suffering a humiliation in the 1st Test, Latham & Co bounced back in style in a bid to end the two-match Test series 1-1.
