ICC WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

June 18, 2021

Tom Latham

Hampshire Bowl

New Zealand Media Conference

Q. How frustrating is it to see a rain delay, and does it change your plan for the finals?

TOM LATHAM: Yeah, I would say it's disappointing, the rain today. It was forecast, unfortunately, but I guess it's just one of those things that as cricketers you need to adapt, and unfortunately that's something we can't control. For us it's just about waiting, and then when we get the opportunity to come on, making sure we're ready to go, and I guess there is day 6, as well, so there is a little bit of extra time that we can use then.

Yeah, we'll obviously wait and see and have a look tomorrow.

Q. Given you've lost the whole day today, how does that change your approach to team selection?

TOM LATHAM: Yeah, it probably doesn't change a huge amount. Obviously as I said, with the extra day that we've got up our sleeve, the game can still go the full five days.

Yeah, I guess for us it's just about trying to wait and see and adapt to whatever we're faced with, whatever conditions that we're faced with, whether it's tomorrow or whenever it may be. It's important that we aren't caught in the hop, that we're ready to go when called upon. We've been in this situation many times before as cricketers and I guess it's about trying to stay ready when we're called upon.

Q. As you touched upon, it's not entirely unexpected this has happened today. Is there anything you've been sort of doing in terms of being aware of the forecast, making sure you weren't too excited, too built up, expecting play to start today?

TOM LATHAM: Yeah, I think looking at the conditions, the amount of water that has fallen from yesterday afternoon there, there probably wasn't a huge chance that we were going to play today. For us we've got guys just trying to relax, and there's been a lot of table tennis, a lot of darts being played up in the team room, so guys are pretty relaxed, which has been good. Yeah, we'll have to give another shot tomorrow and wait and see what happens.

Q. Just wanted to know how you picked the 11, and will you change it considering what has happened through the course of the day because of the conditions?

TOM LATHAM: We haven't confirmed the final 11 yet. Again, we'll have to wait and see when we get the chance to have a look at the wicket, et cetera. Yeah, I'm sure Kane and Steady have a few contingencies in plan, but as I say, we'll have to wait until the canvas come off and we get the chance to play.

Q. With time already out of this game and the potential to lose a little more even with the extra day, how would you expect both teams to go about seeking a positive result in this match, given sort of the title and the honour that's on play already? I suppose the draw is of less value here this week than most.

TOM LATHAM: Look, I think it's hard to predict a game this far out. When you start on day one, it's about trying to start well, and obviously results flow on from the first innings and second innings. From our point of view, it's about -- when we get the chance to go out there, it's about trying to go out there and execute our skills as best as possible and have everyone in position to push the game forward, then we obviously will.

But as I said, it's too hard to say what the perfect scenario may look like until both teams have batted on the surface and whatnot. Yeah, I certainly don't think the guys are looking too far ahead. It's about trying to, one, stay in this moment at the moment, and then when we get the chance, it's about trying to execute our skills as best we can.

Q. Do you think strategy can leave you in a better position that you haven't announced your team, your 11, and you will be in a nice position tomorrow to see the condition and weather and then decide your 11 accordingly?

TOM LATHAM: Yeah, obviously both teams can make changes before the toss, so I guess we're both in the same position. I know India have named their 11, but obviously that can change before the toss.

Yeah, we'll have to wait and see, once we get to that stage of the game.

Q. Do you think this reserve day was a good decision by the ICC considering how fickle the weather is and what happened today?

TOM LATHAM: Yeah, I guess looking at the weather that we've got out there at the moment, it's obviously a great decision. Yeah, obviously we can't control that, so yeah, it's great that there's the extra day, and hopefully whatever happens then there might be a result on that last day. Yeah, it's obviously great that we can hopefully get a full match in, and hopefully the weather clears and both teams will be looking forward to getting out there.