Tom Latham centuries in international cricket: ODI, T20I and Tests

Tom Latham, the son of former allrounder Rod Latham, has played varied roles for New Zealand since his international debut at the age of 19. Having made his international debut in 2012, the batsman has batted in every position from No 1 to 9 in limited-overs cricket and also took on the responsibility of being a wicketkeeper. However, in the years to follow, Latham gradually cemented his place as a top-order opening batsman primarily in the Test and ODI format. All of the best Tom Latham centuries came in these formats. 

As one of the pillars of New Zealand cricket at the moment, Latham has established himself as an old-school Test opener who plays the ball closely. He has played quite a few ODI matches, but it is generally believed the red-ball format suits him the most. Besides, he is also a terrific player of spin bowling, and can successfully negate the incoming threat of any spinner on a rank turner. 

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At present, Tom Latham leads the Black Caps in white-ball cricket in the absence of Kane Williamson, and is the vice-captain for New Zealand in red-ball cricket. Tom has grown as a wicketkeeper batter who is seen as a potential candidate for the captaincy position in place of Kane Williamson longer term. On that note, let us dig deeper into all the best Tom Latham centuries in international cricket and his overall career record across all formats. 

Tom Latham centuries: Career summary

Tom Latham’s cricketing journey began in the 2010 U-19 World Cup and later that year he played first-class cricket for Canterbury. In 2012, he made his debut in ODIs and Twenty20 internationals and was shuffled up and down the order for a while but did not cement his spot. Following an impressive domestic season, Latham played his first Test, against India in February 2014 and was picked as an opener for the tour of West Indies a few months later. This is when his career began seeing an upward trajectory. 

Latham has played across all three formats and has made 236 international appearances for New Zealand. The Christchurch-based wicketkeeper-batsman has played 74 Tests, 136 ODIs, and 26 T20Is. In his 11-year-long international career, Latham has been able to accumulate 20 international centuries. Overall, Tom Latham’s centuries comprise 13 Test and seven ODI centuries. The 33-year-old is yet to register a ton in T20I cricket.

Latham scored a major chunk of his runs in Test cricket where he has 13 centuries and 27 half-centuries. He averages 47.15 and has piled up 5150 runs in the longest format. The 31-year-old also has a formidable record in ODI format. In this limited-overs format, Latham averages 35 and so far scored 7 centuries and 22 half-centuries. However, the elegant left-handed batter hasn’t been used a great deal in T20I where he averages just 25.8 with no centuries to his name.

Latham currently holds 9516 runs across all three formats and has a consolidated batting average of 34.11. Now without further adieu, let us jump into some of the iconic Tom Latham centuries that made him a household figure for New Zealand cricket. 

Tom Latham centuries: ODI, T20I and Tests

Tom Latham is an elegant opener who relies on deft timing and placement. He is not a strong striker of the cricket ball but scores most of his runs through well-controlled shots. Here is a comprehensive look at the top Tom Latham centuries encompassing all three formats.  

Tom Latham ODI centuries 

The 31-year-old has played some exceptional match-defining innings in ODI cricket. In 124 ODI innings, Latham has notched up seven centuries averaging 35 while maintaining a healthy strike rate of nearly 86. In addition, he has also scored 27 half-centuries in this format. Most of his ODI centuries came on home soil (four) while he scored one century apiece in India, Ireland, and Zimbabwe. 

The best of Tom Latham centuries in ODI cricket came against India. Back in 2017, Latham’s incredible knock of 103* (102) helped the Kiwis chase a tricky target of 281 at the Wankhede. His brilliance with the bat overshadowed Kohli’s 121 as Taylor and Latham powered New Zealand to an emphatic six-wicket victory to go up 1-0 in the series.

He played yet another blinder of an innings against India at home in 2022. In a high-octane run-chase, New Zealand lost their openers early but a career-best ODI century of 145* (104) helped New Zealand get over the line. During his innings, Latham scored at a brisk rate and smashed 19 fours and five sixes helping New Zealand chase in excess of 300 with ease.

However, in recent times, Latham rescued his side against the Netherlands in early 2022 when the Dutch toured New Zealand for a three-match ODI series. The Black Caps got off to the worst start possible as they were reduced to 32-5 within the first 10 overs. Just when the end looked near, Latham launched himself by smashing an unbeaten 140 (123) which allowed New Zealand to post a face-saving target of 265. In the end, his match-saving knock turned out to be very pivotal as the Dutch were bowled out for 146.

Tom Latham T20I centuries 

Latham has featured in 26 T20I matches for New Zealand and is yet to register a century. However, the 31-year-old has one century in the domestic T20 format. Contrary to the other formats, Latham is a tremendously underutilized asset in the T20I format. In addition, Latham has only three half-century scores so far in this format.

His average is at a modest low of 25.8 while his strike rate currently stands at 108.86. His only two fifty-plus scores of 65* and 64 came against Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively. He achieved his career-best T20I score against Bangladesh in a losing cause. The left-hand batter battled his way to 65* on a rank-turner but failed to get his side over the line in an intense run-chase.    

Tom Latham Test centuries 

Latham relishes playing in Tests and has also scored the most number of centuries in this format. With over 5000 runs, Latham’s average stands at an impressive high of 41.53 which comprises 13 test centuries. He has scored four centuries against Sri Lanka, three centuries apiece against Bangladesh and Pakistan, and two centuries against Zimbabwe. Besides, he has also scored a solitary century against England as well.

Latham has smashed two swashbuckling double tons against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In December 2018 during the first Test match against Sri Lanka, Latham piled up the runs as he did the bulk of the heavy lifting to take New Zealand to a monumental score of 578. He made an unbelievable contribution of 264* (489) which included 21 fours and one six. The match eventually ended in a draw. 

Latham achieved his second double ton against Bangladesh in a two-match test series in early 2022. Latham’s breathtaking 252 helped New Zealand set the tone for a crushing victory. In response, Bangladesh failed to get past New Zealand’s colossal first-innings total and were bowled twice as a result, losing the game by an innings and 117 runs.  

Furthermore, Latham scored a flurry of centuries against Pakistan in a three-match test series in 2014, scoring 103 in the first match and 107 in the second match. 

Tom Latham centuries: Near misses

There were also occasions where Tom Latham missed out on his well-deserved hundred. Latham has reportedly been dismissed twice in his nervous 90s in test and ODI formats. The most agonizing moment came during the second ODI when was dismissed two runs shy of his century against Pakistan earlier this year. Latham partnered with Daryl Mitchell to get the Black Caps over the 300-run mark. While batting in the death, Latham was willing to up the ante and was batting beautifully up until the 47th over. Haris Rauf eventually removed him on 98 after getting a faint tickle to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps. 

The second instance where he missed out was during a Test match in 2021 when India took on the Black Caps at Kanpur. Latham fell five runs short of his century while he was batting on 95. Whilst facing Axar during the 103rd over, Latham attempted to throw him off a good length and danced down the pitch to smother the spin. However, he was comprehensively beaten by the flight and was eventually stumped by Bharat behind the stumps. 

Latham tried to hold the innings together with his gritty knock, but following his dismissal, New Zealand lost their way and failed to surpass India’s first-innings score, with the match ending in a stalemate.  

All you need to know about Tom Latham centuries: His journey to the top

Latham was born on 2 April 1992 in Christchurch situated in the province of Canterbury. Latham made his debut for Canterbury in the 2010–11 Plunket Shield season, scoring 65 in his maiden first-class cricket innings. He had played youth cricket for Canterbury, captaining the under-19 side, and played for the Canterbury A team from the 2008–09 season.

During 2010, Latham had been a member of the Durham County Cricket Club academy in England. He played matches for Durham Second XI and a Northumberland development XI as well as playing club cricket in the North East Premier League in England for Gateshead Fell. He spent the 2013 English summer playing in north-east England again, playing for South Shields in the North East Premier League and Scotland in the 2013 Yorkshire Bank 40 competition,

Following an impressive domestic season, Latham played his first Test, against India in Wellington, in February 2014 and was picked as an opener for the tour of West Indies a few months later. In the Caribbean, he reeled off three successive half-centuries, contributing to an overseas series win. Against Pakistan in the UAE that November, Latham scored centuries in successive Tests, the first New Zealand batsman to do so in 24 years. Following his successful tour to the UAE, Latham cemented his place at the top of New Zealand’s batting order in Test cricket ever since. Latham was also a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship

“He was the difference” 👏

Nasser Hussain praises Tom Latham for his captaincy pic.twitter.com/UaK0Ibi2eS

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 5, 2023

Fast forward to today, Latham is a key figure in the New Zealand ODI World Cup squad. Alongside his batting, Latam has also grown as a leader and is currently the vice-captain of the Black Caps in ODI and Tests.

Tom Latham: Other records 

Apart from the Tom Latham centuries record, Latham has registered some jaw-dropping records in international cricket which only a few can dream of. His 264* against Sri Lanka in December 2018 is the highest score by any opener surpassing Alastair Cook’s 244*.  

Besides, Latham also has the highest number of centuries among the New Zealand openers in Tests. Moreover, he is also the seventh-highest run-scorer for New Zealand in red-ball cricket and the second debutant Kiwi batter to carry his bat in a test after Glenn Turner.