Latham urges New Zealand to keep raising standards as series-decider against England looms at Trent Bridge

New Zealand captain Tom Latham has challenged his side to continue improving as they head into the third and final Test against England at Trent Bridge. After registering a commanding 253-run victory at The Oval, the Black Caps have an opportunity to seal a memorable 2-1 series win on English soil.

The visitors responded brilliantly to the shock retirement of Kane Williamson, producing a complete team performance to level the series. Latham praised his team’s commitment to a traditional Test-match approach and believes that style can once again help New Zealand achieve success.

Latham praises New Zealand’s old-school approach

Reflecting on the Oval triumph, Latham said New Zealand executed their plans perfectly by remaining patient and maintaining pressure for long periods.

“It was a really good example of how we operated last week. It was a little bit more old-school, trying to do things for long periods of time and keep being a threat for long periods of time,” Latham said.

The skipper emphasized that New Zealand have improved throughout the series and must continue raising their standards if they want to finish the job at Trent Bridge.

“We’ve got better and better throughout the series, and hopefully we can keep improving on those performances.”

Kyle Jamieson ruled out but Santner could return

New Zealand will be without fast bowler Kyle Jamieson for the final Test as part of a planned workload-management strategy following his recovery from a back stress fracture.

Latham clarified that Jamieson is not injured and that the management always intended for him to play only the first two Tests.

“He’s certainly not injured; there’s nothing there to worry about. It was always the plan for him to get through two Test matches,” Latham explained.

Blair Tickner is expected to replace Jamieson, while experienced spinner Mitchell Santner is also in contention for a recall. With unusually hot weather forecast in Nottingham, New Zealand are considering fielding a frontline spinner for the first time in the series.

Latham praised Santner’s dedication in returning from a shoulder injury ahead of schedule.

“For Mitch to get himself ready for this tour was testament to the work that he put in. If we go down that line, we know he’ll be a threat throughout the five days.”

Trent Bridge presents fresh challenge

Trent Bridge is known for its quick-scoring conditions, fast outfield, and shorter boundaries, making life difficult for captains trying to control the run rate.

Latham recalled New Zealand’s last visit to the venue in 2022 when England chased down 299 in just 50 overs, powered by Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.

Despite that painful memory, the New Zealand captain believes his side can draw valuable lessons from previous experiences at the ground.

“It’s about trying to adapt to these conditions and the surface as quickly as we can. We’ve got a little bit of knowledge on how we operated here a few years ago.”

With the series tied 1-1, New Zealand enter the decider full of confidence after their dominant performance at The Oval. Another victory at Trent Bridge would secure a famous away series triumph and further underline their reputation as one of the most resilient Test teams in world Cricket.