Tom Latham signs with Surrey for Championship stint

New Zealand wicketkeeper batter Tom Latham has agreed for a short-term deal with the Surrey County Cricket Club. The 31-year-old will be joining up with the squad in the middle of the season to play five matches in the County Championship between June and July.

With plenty of experience in county cricket, Latham will arrive just before Surrey’s game against Kent, which is scheduled to begin on June 11. Latham is currently with New Zealand, who are currently facing Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series.

Latham was recently announced as the skipper of the Blackcaps for their T20I matches against and for the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan as well, which are scheduled to be played in the upcoming months.

I'm thrilled to join Surrey: Tom Latham

Following the announcement of the deal between Surrey and Latham, the 31-year-old came forward to talk about the deal and how excited he was about joining the team and further bolstering their lineup.

"I'm thrilled to join Surrey this summer. I've really enjoyed my past experiences playing county cricket and the challenge that English conditions bring. Surrey has a rich history, and having the opportunity to play at one of the world's best cricket venues in The Oval is something I'm relishing," Latham was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

I'm looking forward to joining Rory [Burns], Gareth [Batty] and the team and doing as much as I can to help them successfully defend the championship this year," Latham added.

Surrey's Director of Cricket, Alec Stewart, also reflected on Latham and his arrival into the lineup, stating that Latham's experience will be useful for the squad.

"I'm looking forward to welcoming Tom to The Kia Oval. He is an international cricketer with a wealth of experience who will add to the quality of our batting line-up at a time when we are highly likely to lose players to England for the Ashes," Stewart said.