Cricket: Latham sticks in the middle

Tom Latham keeps to the plan during his vital first innings 50 at Adelaide. Photo / AP

A year ago against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, Tom Latham proved he belonged at test level with centuries in consecutive tests at Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Eight matches later against Australia in Adelaide, the 23-year-old is established as the country's best opening batsman since Mark Richardson played his last test 11 years ago at the same venue.

Richardson, with a technique welded to playing within himself in the interests of survival, averaged 44.77 in 38 tests.

It's the highest by a New Zealand opener to have played more than 15 innings.

Eighteen openers have been used since.

Latham has the best average as opener among them (40.75 in 13 tests -- his career average, he batted at No4 on debut, is 38.73).

Brendon McCullum is next (39.30 in 19 tests).

Latham's numbers look better with the application of an anorak's drill.

•Eleven of his 13 tests as an opener have been overseas, where he has made all of his eight scores over 50.

•His average overseas is 44.65.

•In the first two innings of tests, his average rises to 57; that increases to 60.37 when New Zealand bat first. On the flipside, his second innings average, whether New Zealand bat third or fourth, is 21.54.

•Richardson was discovered late, first featuring at 29. Latham debuted at 21.

Pre-Adelaide Latham had made 127 runs at 31.75 in the series.

Those numbers hardly justify punters tearing through the turnstiles but, please, pass the drill again.

Latham has not been dismissed before the 11th over and lasted until the 23rd, 25th, 31st and 32nd overs in his other innings.

He has averaged 109 minutes at the crease and faced 77 balls per knock. That's a significant amount of lacquer being removed from the ball in a fast bowler's armoury, an act which won't be lost on his team-mates.

Sometimes in cricket, what you don't do is as important as what you do. In the corridor of uncertainty just outside off stump, Latham's strike rate is less than elsewhere.

He knows when to leave. His strength is in sticking to a game plan of a resolute defence, working deliveries off his legs for ones and twos, sweeping judiciously and auditing his shots through cover.

Latham's natural skills are not taken for granted.

He's a willing participant in "extra for experts" practice on tour, particularly in his efforts to become a specialist short leg fieldsman.

Latham appears to be an earnest, action-not-words type, although the latter could come with experience.

At 20, he became the youngest player to captain Canterbury in a first-class match in 2012, so clearly coaches and selectors see leadership.

The word in New Zealand cricket circles suggests he's a future test captain if Kane Williamson opts out of the job.

That could be a possibility if Williamson's considered a better option in the role of senior pro.

Regardless, Latham's test future looks assured.

New Zealand openers post-Mark Richardson