Latham to take gloves for Kiwis in first ODI

New Zealand won't field a specialist wicketkeeper in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy opener, choosing opener Tom Latham to wear the gloves against Australia at Eden Park on Monday.

Captain Kane Williamson confirmed rookie specialist 'keeper Tom Blundell, whose international experience is limited to a single T20I, won't play the first of three one-day international fixtures against the tourists.

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It will be the fourth ODI featuring Latham in the custodian role, having done so early in his career when batting in the middle order.

The 24-year-old will still open the batting alongside Martin Guptill, with Williamson keen on the benefits it provides further down the order.

The skipper will bat at No.3, followed by senior batsmen Ross Taylor and Neil Broom before a host of contenders come into play.

Hard-hitting Colin Munro, fresh off a KFC Big Bash League stint with the Sydney Sixers, is a potential floater with the bat, along with allrounders Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme.

Mitchell Santner will be the spin option, followed by the likely seam attack of spearheads Tim Southee and Trent Boult, plus tearaway Lockie Ferguson.

Williamson won't finalise the rest of his team until he assesses the drop-in pitch, the same one used when Australia were thrashed by 159 runs in the series-opener a year ago.

Guptill toyed with the small boundaries on his way to 90 as New Zealand posted 307 before Australia were routed for 148.

"If you put the ball in the right area on drop-in wickets at times you can build pressure," Williamson said.

"There are small boundaries but sometimes that can lure a lot of players in. We've seen here on good surfaces that there can be some low scoring, tight games."

Since then, New Zealand have been crushed 3-0 in December's Chappell-Hadlee series in Australia.