New Zealand captain Tom Latham has urged his team to maintain their upward trajectory and "keep raising the bar" as they prepare for the decisive third Test against England at Trent Bridge, starting Thursday. The series is locked at 1-1 after the visitors secured a commanding 253-run victory at The Oval, a result that came just days after the shock retirement of former captain Kane Williamson from international cricket.
Response to Williamson's Retirement
Latham praised how his side responded to Williamson's departure, stating that the win demonstrated New Zealand's commitment to their traditional strengths. "Any series you step into, the end goal is to be there at the end with the results that you want," Latham said, as per ESPNCricinfo. "What's important for us is the work we do leading up to that point, and trying to stick to the things that we do well and stick to our style as best we can."
Old-School Approach in Modern Era
The skipper highlighted that New Zealand's approach in the second Test stood out in an era increasingly dominated by aggressive cricket. "It was a really good example of how we operated last week [which] was maybe slightly different to what the modern generation of Test cricket is, and how it's been played. It was a little bit more old-school, and trying to do things for long periods of time and keep being a threat for long periods of time," he said. "If it's required throughout this week to do something similar, then we'll obviously be looking to do that. We've got better and better throughout the series, and hopefully we can keep improving on those performances."
Team Changes and Workload Management
New Zealand will be without pace spearhead Kyle Jamieson for the final Test as part of a planned workload-management programme following his recovery from a back stress fracture. "He's certainly not injured; there's nothing there to worry about," Latham confirmed. "It was always the plan for him to get through two Test matches." Blair Tickner is the leading candidate to replace Jamieson, while all-rounder Mitchell Santner is also under consideration as New Zealand weigh up fielding a frontline spinner for the first time in the series. Santner recently returned from a shoulder injury and could benefit from the dry conditions created by the ongoing British heatwave.
"For Mitch to get himself ready for this tour... was a testament to the work that he put in," Latham said. "He's someone who spins the ball on many different surfaces. If we do go down that line, then we certainly know he'll be a threat throughout the five days," he added, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Challenges at Trent Bridge
Latham is wary of the challenges posed by Trent Bridge, a venue known for its quick outfield and run-scoring opportunities. The New Zealand captain experienced that firsthand in 2022 when England chased down 299 in just 50 overs under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. Reflecting on that series, Latham said New Zealand had been more competitive than the results suggested. "If you look at that series as a whole, the results were probably a little bit closer than what the scoreboard suggests," he said, according to the report. "In all three games, we were certainly in the hunt... There were three really good chases throughout that series from England. You obviously know what happened towards the back end of the game with Jonny [Bairstow] and Stokesy [Ben Stokes]."
Looking Ahead
The New Zealand skipper expects another high-scoring contest but believes his side is better equipped to adapt. With the series on the line, New Zealand will be aiming to build on their momentum from The Oval and secure a significant away triumph against England.
