Tom Latham hopes New Zealand learn lessons from their loss to Australia as they prepare to take on in-form South Africa.
New Zealand started the Cricket World Cup superbly with four consecutive wins, defeating England, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to top the World Cup standings. But back-to-back losses against India and Australia in their last two has seen the Black Caps slip to third in the table on net run rate with eight points.
After Australia set an impressive 389 runs to chase on Saturday, New Zealand batted well and impressively looked on course for victory, before suffering an agonising five-run defeat.
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Highlights of Australia’s brilliant five run victory over New Zealand in Dharamsala at the Cricket World Cup
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Highlights of South Africa’s thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan in Chennai at the Cricket World Cup
Reflecting on the defeat, Latham said: “On what was an amazing day of cricket, obviously disappointed to come out the wrong side of it. I think if you look at the game as a whole, we did a lot of good things really well.
“We were obviously put under a lot of pressure at the start the way Australia came out to bat.
“They probably got a little bit more than what we wanted towards the back end, but I think we obviously put ourselves in a position towards the end of the game (to win).”
Hoping to overcome their disappointment, Latham is looking for his side to take positives ahead of their match against second-placed South Africa, who come into Wednesday’s game on three consecutive wins against England, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
South Africa sit second in the Cricket World Cup standings
Latham said: “Like every team we do our scouting and try to find weaknesses from a batting point of view from South Africa.
“But as you said they’re a team that is running pretty hot at the moment.
“They’ve got some guys in form from a batting point of view so again it’s going to be another great challenge and we come to a different venue, and we’ve got to adapt as quick as we can to this ground here in Pune.”
South Africa have put up three of the six highest scores in this year’s World Cup and Latham is counting on his bowlers to be proactive against the batting threat.
“Wickets are really important. That’s the way to stem the run rate as best you can by taking wickets and that’s not just at the top, that’s through the middle as well.
“I guess it’s just trying to understand the match-ups as best you can. And we certainly know we’ve got a world-class bowling attack as well and when they’re on song there and that’s certainly very threatening.”
Ferguson available for South Africa
Ahead of the game on Wednesday, Latham expects fast bowler Lockie Ferguson to be available for the clash with South Africa, but Kane Williamson and Mark Chapman remain doubts.
Latham, who took over the captaincy when Williamson fractured his thumb during a match against Bangladesh this month, said injured players’ progress was being monitored on a day-to-day basis.
Lockie Ferguson is set to return from injury
“We’ll obviously get through hopefully a bit of work today and then we’ll see how they pull up from a selection point of view,” the wicketkeeper-captain said.
“Lockie went off in the last game with a bit of an Achilles’ niggle, so fingers crossed he’ll be fine for tomorrow.”
Ferguson was injured during Saturday’s high-scoring game against Australia. All-rounder Chapman missed the game entirely due to a calf injury.
Replacing Chapman, Jimmy Neesham produced a gutsy half-century to nearly pull off an improbable victory.
“We’ve got a few guys to get through a few fitness tests and I guess once we train, we’ll have a clearer idea of what the 11 looks like,” Latham said.
“So, fingers crossed, all those guys can get through a bit of work today at training and be ready to go tomorrow.”
What’s next?
Wednesday’s game at the Cricket World Cup sees New Zealand take on South Africa in Pune, with both sides looking to move a step towards securing semi-final places.
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