October 4, 2024 • 11 mins
After a string of disappointing results for the National team, Tom Latham has replaced Tim Southee as Test Captain for the Black Caps.
He joined Piney to discuss how he's going to turn the team's fortunes around.
“To me, it’s about trying to empower guys to do, to do their roles as best as they can and let them go out with freedom.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk z B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Black Cabs have a new Test cricket captain getting
away towards the boundary. It may go for four to
the Test century, one hundred of one hundred and sixty
seventies to lighted soles. The New Zealand players in the
dressing room. Tom Latham was one hundred, having skippered New
Zealand and nine previous Test matches. Tom Latham will assume
the role full time, starting with the upcoming three Test
(00:34):
tour of India and then the three match home series
against England which follows. Tom Latham is with us. Congratulations
on the appointment. Tom. How did the captaincy change play out?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, thank you very much. It's an on iron and
a privilege, I guess to be given the opportunity to
lead the tenancy stead of obviously done in the past
four and I guess after each tour series, you know,
things are evaluated with with where things are at, and
obviously the decision came to me decided to step away
(01:08):
from the role and yeah, it's obviously nice to be
asked to do it and looking certainly looking forward to
the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Did you know a change was in the wind?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
No, No, I didn't know. I guess, as I said,
it's one of those things that after each series, in
each tour, you know, steady and to evaluate things and
where things are at and all that sort of thing.
And obviously the decision was made and you know in
the position we are now, So yeah, obviously came as
a little bit of a surprise, but obviously one obviously
(01:38):
looking forward to you you have all the different emotions
when when I guess, when you get a pointed with
something like that and you're certainly looking forward to to
what's coming up ahead.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Is there something you've aspired to?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
As you said, I've done done nine test matches in
the past and done you know, various one days and
ten twenties along the road, and I guess from my
point of view, it's always been a selling type type role.
So this, I guess, this opportune it is a slightly
different than what have been used to. And I think
to Matt, it's about trying to push the team forward
it as much as I can. And yeah, certainly I
(02:15):
think once you do it, once you get a little
bit of a bug for it. I think Matt's has
always been about trying to push the team forward and
to port whoever's doing it at the time. You know
where it became or where it be Tim, So yeah,
it's obviously nice to be in this position.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Now. Did you want the job when came Williamson stepped
down in twenty twenty two.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Yeah, it was again a different situation and I'd decided
to go with Timmy. But in all honesty it's probably
worked out well in terms of the situation we're in there,
and I guess to mat it's just about trying to
support again whoever whoever was the captain, and certainly gave
my full support to me, you know, for the last
for the last two years. So yeah, again it was
(02:58):
wasn't I was a little bit surprised at the time,
but I can certainly see the reasons why they went
for me.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And obviously Tim has been a part of this black
Cat set up for a long time, as have you,
and he will continue to be, I'm sure in test cricket.
Do you perceive any potential awkwardness around the change of
captaincy be thought about how that might be negotiated.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Absolutely, no awkwardness at all. Have been in touch with
Timmy throughout the last few days and I just sort
of want to congratulate and him on the role that
he's done over the last two years. I think he's
a valued member of our team, a senior guy and
someone that has immense amount of experience. And I've certainly
(03:38):
enjoyed playing groom and I know a lot of the
guys have as well. But there'll certainly be no awkinness
there at all. I know he's willing to help me
and I'll certainly be leaning on him at times for
his experience in situations too.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So, as we've both mentioned, you've done the job prevacy,
but now it's your gig full time. How will that
change your approach to captaining the Test side?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Not sure at the stage, and I guess I guess
you always look at ways you want to you want
to push the team forward, whether it's you know you're
captain or not captain. But now being in the situation,
you have a little bit I guess more control. But
I think to me it's about trying to empower guys
to do to do their roles as best stand and
let them go that with freedom and play their roles
(04:25):
as best they can, because I think when guys do that,
they play with freedom without fear. You know, results tend
to or I guess you play in a way that
you want to and results sort of take care of
himself along the road. But yeah, I think to my
point of view, I'm importing it and stuck in against in there.
And again, it's not a massive change. I've done it
before and guys know sort of hero itic, so they
(04:47):
will hopefully hit the ground running.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
So you don't feel any need to stamp your mark
on this team to you know, to immediately be a
certain type of captain of the site.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I wouldn't say straight away. I certainly don't want to
come in and start changing things left, right and center.
And you know, we're a Test We do a lot
of good things. I'm sure there'll be things that that
we want to improve, like I guess any team does
throughout the road. But yeah, I guess we'll evaluate that
and hopefully adapt as quick as we can on the road,
(05:19):
and if need be, we'll obviously make those changes and
if any changes at all.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How important a part of Test captaincy is team selection,
and yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Obviously in all formats. It's it's important thing if you
look as a whole our test sides being reasonably settled
over a long period of time. I think the consistency
of selection is has certainly helped the team and in
terms of where we've got to where we've got to
in the past, not just over recent times, but you
(05:51):
know times we have been really successful. And I think
that consistency is important to give guys opportunities to perform
their role as best they can. And we certainly know
how fickle cricket can be. We've obviously placed in some
tough conditions at home but but also away. So I
think for me it's probably more the consistency pieces being
(06:12):
sure you give you guys opportunities to to do the
roles that they've been selected for.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
In the recent Trilncan series it was it was two
seemers too special as seemas picked for both test matches.
Do you feel like that's likely to be the case
in India as well.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, well, obviously have to wait to we get over there,
but I think if you look over a recent series,
you know it tends to sort of be that makeup
in terms of you know, seamers versus spinners. I think
we're lucky we've got you know, plenty of all rounders
in that top six, which certainly makes your resource a
little bit better in terms of having a few more
(06:50):
different options. So yeah, I think obviously hard to not
to say from from here, I'd say potentially that you know,
the two seamers is obviously a high chance of that
depending on what we what we get in terms of
pitch in.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
India arguably a bigger challenge even than Sri Lanka. Do
you feel there's any need to rebuild confidence in the
team after the series defeat in Sri Lanka.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, obviously the results didn't quite go our way. I
think if you look at that first Test, we were
we were pretty close. I think there was only sixty
runs that we lost by so in test cricket, that's
a reasonably sport small Margdin and we did play some
good cricket throughout that game and obviously take away the
first innings with the bat. In the second Test, I
actually thought we played reasonably well in that second To
(07:40):
get over through fifty and a third fourth innings is
as obviously a decent effort as well. So yeah, obviously
a different challenge, a big challenge which I'm sure every
we're looking forward to. No better time to test yourself against,
you know that, the best team in their own conditions
in India and through pretty iconic venues. So I'm sure
(08:01):
the guys will be resting up this week and hopefully
looking forward again into things next week.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
When you find yourself in a situation like the second
Test when Sri Lanka were batting, you know, the piling
on runs, breakthroughs are hard to come by. What is
the best strategy as as a captain in that situation?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, it certainly hard. I think you go through many
different ideas and everything you throw it and then they
sort of tend to come up with the answers. So,
you know, it is really hard in that situation in
terms of you know, what you do and we haven't
been in that situation a lot before and cret it
to the way that sure to play. These played outstandingly well,
(08:38):
and yeah, that's sort of hard to know. I guess
you lean on those experiences that you've had before, and
I guess you're just trying to do anything to get
to work at You're trying to you know, go through
different options, different change bowls at different ends and different
field placings. You're just trying to just do something to
(08:58):
break the partnership because you know if you do that
then things tend to happen quite quickly. In those parts
of the world where you can get one, you can
get a couple quickly. So and I hope you we're
not in that such.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Yeah, And with the bat, you're one of our best
players off spin bowling and it's likely obviously that you're
going to have to face quite a bit of it
in India as you did in Sri Lanka. What are
the real keys to playing spin well, particularly in the subcontinent.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
That's having your plan and trying to stick to it
for long periods. I think we're seeing, you know, different
teams in recent times turn there do it differently. Likes England,
they tend to be a little bit more aggressive, whereas
you know, we've obviously have players that like to bat
long periods of time and and try weir teams down.
And I think it's been able to stick to a
(09:45):
plan as best you can. I think from a spin
point of view, sometimes it's not the ball that actually
turns it that gets all the wickets, it's the it's
the one that slides on tend tends to be the
danger ble. But obviously they've got some quality spinners, but
they've also got some anta pass bowlers as well. So yeah,
we're certainly going to be tested, that's for sure. But
I know they're guys to be looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
And I don't know whether this is a myth or not,
but you often hear about captain c affecting a player's performance.
What strategies can you use to make sure captaincy doesn't
affect the way you bat?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yeah? Again, I think it's been able to stick to
your planet as best you can. I think you know
it's been able to switch between a captain and also
switching between a batsman, which is really important. Obviously, when
I doubt, it's about me and trying to I guess,
nail my things as best I can and not worrying
too much about what's out of your control. And as
(10:42):
I said, I've done in the past and done it before,
so I'll sendly be leaning back on those experiences and
going from there.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Busy time ahead for your tom three Tests against India
three back home against England, which we're very much looking
forward to Congratulations again on being named down new Test
captain and thanks for the chat this afternoon. No worry,
no thank you, Tom. Tom lath them there black Caps
Test skipper, not on a temporary basis anymore, not on
a fill in basis. He is the new Test skipper
(11:11):
moving forward.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk z B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Black Cabs have a new Test cricket captain getting
away towards the boundary. It may go for four to
the Test century, one hundred of one hundred and sixty
seventies to lighted soles. The New Zealand players in the
dressing room. Tom Latham was one hundred, having skippered New
Zealand and nine previous Test matches. Tom Latham will assume
the role full time, starting with the upcoming three Test
(00:34):
tour of India and then the three match home series
against England which follows. Tom Latham is with us. Congratulations
on the appointment. Tom. How did the captaincy change play out?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, thank you very much. It's an on iron and
a privilege, I guess to be given the opportunity to
lead the tenancy stead of obviously done in the past
four and I guess after each tour series, you know,
things are evaluated with with where things are at, and
obviously the decision came to me decided to step away
(01:08):
from the role and yeah, it's obviously nice to be
asked to do it and looking certainly looking forward to
the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Did you know a change was in the wind?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
No, No, I didn't know. I guess, as I said,
it's one of those things that after each series, in
each tour, you know, steady and to evaluate things and
where things are at and all that sort of thing.
And obviously the decision was made and you know in
the position we are now, So yeah, obviously came as
a little bit of a surprise, but obviously one obviously
(01:38):
looking forward to you you have all the different emotions
when when I guess, when you get a pointed with
something like that and you're certainly looking forward to to
what's coming up ahead.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Is there something you've aspired to?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
As you said, I've done done nine test matches in
the past and done you know, various one days and
ten twenties along the road, and I guess from my
point of view, it's always been a selling type type role.
So this, I guess, this opportune it is a slightly
different than what have been used to. And I think
to Matt, it's about trying to push the team forward
it as much as I can. And yeah, certainly I
(02:15):
think once you do it, once you get a little
bit of a bug for it. I think Matt's has
always been about trying to push the team forward and
to port whoever's doing it at the time. You know
where it became or where it be Tim, So yeah,
it's obviously nice to be in this position.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Now. Did you want the job when came Williamson stepped
down in twenty twenty two.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Yeah, it was again a different situation and I'd decided
to go with Timmy. But in all honesty it's probably
worked out well in terms of the situation we're in there,
and I guess to mat it's just about trying to
support again whoever whoever was the captain, and certainly gave
my full support to me, you know, for the last
for the last two years. So yeah, again it was
(02:58):
wasn't I was a little bit surprised at the time,
but I can certainly see the reasons why they went
for me.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And obviously Tim has been a part of this black
Cat set up for a long time, as have you,
and he will continue to be, I'm sure in test cricket.
Do you perceive any potential awkwardness around the change of
captaincy be thought about how that might be negotiated.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Absolutely, no awkwardness at all. Have been in touch with
Timmy throughout the last few days and I just sort
of want to congratulate and him on the role that
he's done over the last two years. I think he's
a valued member of our team, a senior guy and
someone that has immense amount of experience. And I've certainly
(03:38):
enjoyed playing groom and I know a lot of the
guys have as well. But there'll certainly be no awkinness
there at all. I know he's willing to help me
and I'll certainly be leaning on him at times for
his experience in situations too.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So, as we've both mentioned, you've done the job prevacy,
but now it's your gig full time. How will that
change your approach to captaining the Test side?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Not sure at the stage, and I guess I guess
you always look at ways you want to you want
to push the team forward, whether it's you know you're
captain or not captain. But now being in the situation,
you have a little bit I guess more control. But
I think to me it's about trying to empower guys
to do to do their roles as best stand and
let them go that with freedom and play their roles
(04:25):
as best they can, because I think when guys do that,
they play with freedom without fear. You know, results tend
to or I guess you play in a way that
you want to and results sort of take care of
himself along the road. But yeah, I think to my
point of view, I'm importing it and stuck in against in there.
And again, it's not a massive change. I've done it
before and guys know sort of hero itic, so they
(04:47):
will hopefully hit the ground running.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
So you don't feel any need to stamp your mark
on this team to you know, to immediately be a
certain type of captain of the site.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I wouldn't say straight away. I certainly don't want to
come in and start changing things left, right and center.
And you know, we're a Test We do a lot
of good things. I'm sure there'll be things that that
we want to improve, like I guess any team does
throughout the road. But yeah, I guess we'll evaluate that
and hopefully adapt as quick as we can on the road,
(05:19):
and if need be, we'll obviously make those changes and
if any changes at all.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How important a part of Test captaincy is team selection,
and yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Obviously in all formats. It's it's important thing if you
look as a whole our test sides being reasonably settled
over a long period of time. I think the consistency
of selection is has certainly helped the team and in
terms of where we've got to where we've got to
in the past, not just over recent times, but you
(05:51):
know times we have been really successful. And I think
that consistency is important to give guys opportunities to perform
their role as best they can. And we certainly know
how fickle cricket can be. We've obviously placed in some
tough conditions at home but but also away. So I
think for me it's probably more the consistency pieces being
(06:12):
sure you give you guys opportunities to to do the
roles that they've been selected for.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
In the recent Trilncan series it was it was two
seemers too special as seemas picked for both test matches.
Do you feel like that's likely to be the case
in India as well.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, well, obviously have to wait to we get over there,
but I think if you look over a recent series,
you know it tends to sort of be that makeup
in terms of you know, seamers versus spinners. I think
we're lucky we've got you know, plenty of all rounders
in that top six, which certainly makes your resource a
little bit better in terms of having a few more
(06:50):
different options. So yeah, I think obviously hard to not
to say from from here, I'd say potentially that you know,
the two seamers is obviously a high chance of that
depending on what we what we get in terms of
pitch in.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
India arguably a bigger challenge even than Sri Lanka. Do
you feel there's any need to rebuild confidence in the
team after the series defeat in Sri Lanka.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, obviously the results didn't quite go our way. I
think if you look at that first Test, we were
we were pretty close. I think there was only sixty
runs that we lost by so in test cricket, that's
a reasonably sport small Margdin and we did play some
good cricket throughout that game and obviously take away the
first innings with the bat. In the second Test, I
actually thought we played reasonably well in that second To
(07:40):
get over through fifty and a third fourth innings is
as obviously a decent effort as well. So yeah, obviously
a different challenge, a big challenge which I'm sure every
we're looking forward to. No better time to test yourself against,
you know that, the best team in their own conditions
in India and through pretty iconic venues. So I'm sure
(08:01):
the guys will be resting up this week and hopefully
looking forward again into things next week.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
When you find yourself in a situation like the second
Test when Sri Lanka were batting, you know, the piling
on runs, breakthroughs are hard to come by. What is
the best strategy as as a captain in that situation?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, it certainly hard. I think you go through many
different ideas and everything you throw it and then they
sort of tend to come up with the answers. So,
you know, it is really hard in that situation in
terms of you know, what you do and we haven't
been in that situation a lot before and cret it
to the way that sure to play. These played outstandingly well,
(08:38):
and yeah, that's sort of hard to know. I guess
you lean on those experiences that you've had before, and
I guess you're just trying to do anything to get
to work at You're trying to you know, go through
different options, different change bowls at different ends and different
field placings. You're just trying to just do something to
(08:58):
break the partnership because you know if you do that
then things tend to happen quite quickly. In those parts
of the world where you can get one, you can
get a couple quickly. So and I hope you we're
not in that such.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Yeah, And with the bat, you're one of our best
players off spin bowling and it's likely obviously that you're
going to have to face quite a bit of it
in India as you did in Sri Lanka. What are
the real keys to playing spin well, particularly in the subcontinent.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
That's having your plan and trying to stick to it
for long periods. I think we're seeing, you know, different
teams in recent times turn there do it differently. Likes England,
they tend to be a little bit more aggressive, whereas
you know, we've obviously have players that like to bat
long periods of time and and try weir teams down.
And I think it's been able to stick to a
(09:45):
plan as best you can. I think from a spin
point of view, sometimes it's not the ball that actually
turns it that gets all the wickets, it's the it's
the one that slides on tend tends to be the
danger ble. But obviously they've got some quality spinners, but
they've also got some anta pass bowlers as well. So yeah,
we're certainly going to be tested, that's for sure. But
I know they're guys to be looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
And I don't know whether this is a myth or not,
but you often hear about captain c affecting a player's performance.
What strategies can you use to make sure captaincy doesn't
affect the way you bat?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yeah? Again, I think it's been able to stick to
your planet as best you can. I think you know
it's been able to switch between a captain and also
switching between a batsman, which is really important. Obviously, when
I doubt, it's about me and trying to I guess,
nail my things as best I can and not worrying
too much about what's out of your control. And as
(10:42):
I said, I've done in the past and done it before,
so I'll sendly be leaning back on those experiences and
going from there.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Busy time ahead for your tom three Tests against India
three back home against England, which we're very much looking
forward to Congratulations again on being named down new Test
captain and thanks for the chat this afternoon. No worry,
no thank you, Tom. Tom lath them there black Caps
Test skipper, not on a temporary basis anymore, not on
a fill in basis. He is the new Test skipper
(11:11):
moving forward.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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