Cricket: Black Caps eyeing clean sweep in warm-up to big event

New Zealand's Tom Latham has impressed in Ireland. Photosport

New Zealand's preparations for the Champions Trophy remain hitch-free after they clinched the tri-series cricket title in Ireland yesterday.

There's a temptation to scoff at this success, but then you remember New Zealand have only ever won five titles in series comprising three or four teams.

You'll well recall the Bank Alfalah Cup in Sri Lanka 14 years ago; the Natwest title in England the following year might ring more bells; or the Videocon series in Zimbabwe in 2005; and another biggie, the tri-series in Scotland nine years ago, when the third wheel were Ireland.

The 190-run flogging of Ireland yesterday leaves only the second game against Bangladesh at Clontarf tomorrow night to achieve a clean sweep.

It's a hoary old line but you really can only play what's put in front of you but there's a decent argument to be made that playing matches in which the opposition will test you, but not too much, isn't a bad thing. So New Zealand will look at the positives.

Step up captain Tom Latham, who hit a run-a-ball century as New Zealand rattled up 344 for six. There's a statistic which is close to having him in the "enigmatic" category.

In 25 ODI innings in New Zealand, he's averaging 22, with one century; put him on an overseas flight and in 26 innings he's going at 39.82, with three tons and six fifties.

The batsmen all had another chance for time in the middle and there was an interesting late contribution from Colin Munro.

The Auckland lefthander isn't in the Champions Trophy squad but is expected to be on standby.

Yesterday he hammered 44 off 15 balls, overseeing 76 runs off the last five overs to give New Zealand a late shove.

Tougher tasks await in the trophy, but you wonder if not picking Munro might not be a trick missed. And you wonder if he's paying a heavy price for an on-field incident during the Plunket Shield which cost him a ban, and a rank bad shot first ball against South Africa at Eden Park in a T20.

Ireland had no prayer when they set off in pursuit. Indian Premier League refugees are wandering back into the squad ahead of the two official warm-up matches, against India at The Oval late next Sunday night; and Sri Lanka at Edgbaston next Tuesday night.

The game will step up in those matches. There will still be wriggle room for tinkering but by then New Zealand should be clear in the mind who they fancy as their best XI ahead of the opening pool game against Australia on June 2. Latham or Luke Ronchi to go in first with Martin Guptill is one potentially curly issue, Ronchi having made quick contributions during this series.

Although he's seen as an accumulator, it's worth nothing Latham hit four sixes yesterday; and you might think of it as an audition of sorts for an opening spot against Australia.