Mike Latham
Encyclopedia
Michael Edward Latham played first-class
cricket
for Somerset
in 1961 and 1962. He also played for Northumberland
for many years in the Minor Counties and appeared for them in one List A match in 1971. He was born in Birmingham
.
A right-handed lower-order batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, Latham played for Gloucestershire
's second eleven in 1959 and 1960 before switching to Somerset for the 1961 season. He made his first-class debut in the first home match of the season, taking three wickets in the Hampshire
first innings (and one in the second) before arriving in the Somerset second innings, as No 11 batsman, with his side still 59 runs short of a target of 172 in a low-scoring match; with Brian Langford
he put on 40 before Langford was bowled. Latham's unbeaten 21 proved to be the highest score of his first-class career. He played in only two other first-class matches in the 1961 season.
In the 1962 season, Latham played in almost half of Somerset's matches, though with a side full of fast-medium and medium-pace bowlers, he was bowled sparingly. He was the sixth bowler used when he played against Nottinghamshire
at Bath and won the match by taking five for 20 in less than 10 overs, bowling off-cutters. But in the second match of the three-match Bath festival of cricket he was still the sixth bowler used in each innings, bowling only six overs in the game, and he was dropped for the third match. Selected again a couple of weeks later, he took five for 61 in Yorkshire
's first innings in the game at Taunton on a batsman's pitch. And in his final match of the season, an innings victory over Northamptonshire
at Weston-super-Mare
his four for 54 in the Northants first innings was the best of the Somerset bowlers. That, however, proved to be the last first-class match of Latham's career as he left the Somerset staff at the end of the season "to take up employment in engineering", and though he was expected to be "available for some matches", that did not happen.
Instead, Latham moved to North-East England and began playing Minor Counties cricket for Northumberland, appearing for them for 10 seasons through to 1972. In 1971, he made his only List A appearance, an all-Minor County Gillette Cup
match against Lincolnshire
in which he made an unbeaten 26 with the bat but failed to take a wicket.
Latham's son Patrick Latham
has played List A and Minor Counties cricket for Cambridgeshire
and had second eleven matches in 1998 for both Durham
and Somerset.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in 1961 and 1962. He also played for Northumberland
Northumberland County Cricket Club
Northumberland County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northumberland and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
for many years in the Minor Counties and appeared for them in one List A match in 1971. He was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
A right-handed lower-order batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, Latham played for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
's second eleven in 1959 and 1960 before switching to Somerset for the 1961 season. He made his first-class debut in the first home match of the season, taking three wickets in the Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
first innings (and one in the second) before arriving in the Somerset second innings, as No 11 batsman, with his side still 59 runs short of a target of 172 in a low-scoring match; with Brian Langford
Brian Langford
Brian Anthony Langford , is a former English first-class cricketer who played as an off-spin bowler for Somerset...
he put on 40 before Langford was bowled. Latham's unbeaten 21 proved to be the highest score of his first-class career. He played in only two other first-class matches in the 1961 season.
In the 1962 season, Latham played in almost half of Somerset's matches, though with a side full of fast-medium and medium-pace bowlers, he was bowled sparingly. He was the sixth bowler used when he played against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
at Bath and won the match by taking five for 20 in less than 10 overs, bowling off-cutters. But in the second match of the three-match Bath festival of cricket he was still the sixth bowler used in each innings, bowling only six overs in the game, and he was dropped for the third match. Selected again a couple of weeks later, he took five for 61 in Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
's first innings in the game at Taunton on a batsman's pitch. And in his final match of the season, an innings victory over Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
at Weston-super-Mare
Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare
Clarence Park was given to the town of Weston-super-Mare by Rebecca Davies in memory of her husband. The cricket pavilion at the park dates from 1882. A multitude of sports have been played at the park, including cricket. The ground is owned by the local council. It is currently used by...
his four for 54 in the Northants first innings was the best of the Somerset bowlers. That, however, proved to be the last first-class match of Latham's career as he left the Somerset staff at the end of the season "to take up employment in engineering", and though he was expected to be "available for some matches", that did not happen.
Instead, Latham moved to North-East England and began playing Minor Counties cricket for Northumberland, appearing for them for 10 seasons through to 1972. In 1971, he made his only List A appearance, an all-Minor County Gillette Cup
Gillette Cup
The Gillette Cup may refer to the following cricket competitions:* Gillette Cup — an English knock-out one-day competition known as the Gillette Cup from 1963 to 1980, now known as the Friends Provident Cup...
match against Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire County Cricket Club
Lincolnshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs, which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Lincolnshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
in which he made an unbeaten 26 with the bat but failed to take a wicket.
Latham's son Patrick Latham
Patrick Latham
James Patrick Thomas Latham is an English cricketer. Latham is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm medium pace. He was born in Hexham, Northumberland....
has played List A and Minor Counties cricket for Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club
Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cambridgeshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy.The club is based at The Avenue...
and had second eleven matches in 1998 for both Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
and Somerset.