Black Caps confident of Aussie upset: Latham

New Zealand opener Tom Latham says the Black Caps are confident they can overcome their minimal experience in Australia and make history with success in November’s three-Test series.

The Kiwis haven’t won a Test series in Australia since the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee spearheaded a 2-1 triumph 30 summers ago, but on their last visit across the Tasman, in December 2011, they shocked the Australians by levelling the two-match series one-all.

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The 15-man touring party has just 21 Test caps in Australia between them, while no batsman in the squad can boast a Test century in the country.

Latham, who averages 47.33 in eight Tests outside New Zealand with two hundreds in his brief career to date, has already shown he knows what it takes to succeed in foreign conditions.

“It’s about finding a way to play in different conditions as quickly as possible,” he told cricket.com.au. “We’re going to have to adapt when we get over there. Obviously conditions will be different to what we’re used to, with a bit more pace and bounce.

“We’ll be talking to our senior players who have played a little bit over there and try to get a bit of knowledge about what it’s like playing over there.

“So it’s another test, we’ll have to play differently there. If we can work that out in the warm-up games, and then (take those lessons) into the Tests, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”

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Unbeaten in Test series losing a five-match battle in England 2-0 in mid-2013, New Zealand are currently enjoying the most productive period of their 85-year history, with the attacking brand of cricket instilled by the leadership duo of coach Mike Hesson and captain Brendon McCullum largely credited for the change in fortune.

Latham says that run of success has the team believing they can end their country’s drought in Australia.

“The cricket we’ve been playing the last couple of years has got us some good results,” he said. “Hopefully we can lean on that experience.

“We’re certainly confident. We know we’ve got a good side and if we turn up for the three Tests, then we’ll give ourselves a good chance of being successful.

“We haven’t won over there for a while but the last time we were there we managed to win that Test in Hobart and draw the series, so hopefully we can go one better this time and win the series.”

With Australia’s Test squad very much in a state of flux following a host of recent retirements, the Steve Smith-led side is set to enter a home summer with their own relatively inexperienced XI.

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Yet despite the Ashes hiding and the turnover in personnel, Latham doesn’t believe the line-up New Zealand are set to face is any less daunting than those of the recent past.

“As we’ve seen in the past, the Aussies in their home conditions are a very good side,” the 23-year-old said.

“Yes, they’ve had a few retirements and there’s a few different faces, but we know they’re going to be a massive challenge and they’re going to push us every step of the way.

“So I wouldn’t say it’s going to be any easier. It’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.”

The third match of the series will be cricket’s first-ever day-night Test match, to be held in Adelaide on November 27, and after much trialling and conjecture surrounding the use of a pink ball, Latham says the Black Caps will have sufficient preparation with the different ball.

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“It’s exciting. There’s history to be made there and we’ve got plenty of warm-up games with the pink ball leading into that (third Test), so hopefully we’ll be able to see how it reacts under lights and during the day,” he added.

“We need to get a little bit of information from the ball but at the end of the day it’s still round and you’ve still got to hit it and catch it.”

The first Test begins at the Gabba on November 5, with the young opening batsman eagerly anticipating the possibility of heading to the middle with bat in hand on the opening morning of an Australian summer.

"There’ll certainly be nerves, and I’m certainly really excited for it," he said. "There’s something a little bit different about this series, with the media and all the build-up.

"We haven’t played Australia for a while so to have a three-Test series against them in their home country is pretty cool.

"Certainly now it’s exciting but I think the nerves will start to kick in a little bit closer to the time."