Mark Lathwell
Encyclopedia
Mark Nicholas Lathwell is a former English
cricket
er who played in two Test matches
in 1993. Lathwell played the entirety of his First-class cricket
career for Somerset County Cricket Club
and is regarded as one of the best young batsmen England has ever produced. However, this promise never materialised, and despite successful seasons with Somerset, Lathwell never regained a place in the international set-up, and retired in 2001.
and began his career playing for the Somerset Second XI, aged 18, in 1990. He made his limited overs debut in a rain-affected match against Glamorgan Second XI
in which he scored 18 not out
and bowled 7 over
s for 25 runs. He then played in the corresponding 3-day match, scoring 17 and 10 in a heavy defeat for Somerset. Attention was drawn to Lathwell when he played against Sussex Second XI
in June 1990. Opening the batting
scored 168 not out, and took part in a partnership
of 235 with Nick Pringle
. Lathwell also took the only wicket in Sussex's (declared) first innings, and scored 37 in the second. He then scored 69 runs in the match against Leicestershire Second XI
and made his List A cricket debut against the touring Sri Lankans, bowling 7 overs.
At the start of the 1991 season, Lathwell played for the English U-19 cricket team
against the Sussex side he overpowered the previous summer, although was run out
for just two runs. He scored eight half-centuries over the summer, before breaking into the Somerset First XI first in the 40-over competition, and then for the final first-class match of the season. For England Young Cricketers, Lathwell played in two Youth One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Youth Test matches
against Australia Young Cricketers, scoring 262 runs at an average of 32.75 and a top score of 66.
to set up a comfortable 4 wicket win. Two days later, Somerset played Kent again in the Benson & Hedges Cup
, succumbing to a heavy defeat, Lathwell inexplicably batting at number 9. After another half-century for the Second XI, Lathwell was now firmly in the first team for the remainder of the season. It was an excellent debut season for Lathwell, scoring eleven half-centuries and one century (114 against Surrey
) in first-class cricket. There was a lean spell in the middle of the season with consecutive scores of 1, 2, 3, 0 and 4, but Lathwell responded well with five innings between 45 and 72 and finished with a highly respectable average of 36.75 in first-class cricket. Lathwell was now established as an opening batsman, and was seldom used as a bowler, only taking wickets in for the season. He scored well in List A cricket too, but failed to convert any scores into centuries (his highest being 85, 93 and 95). Lathwell was rewarded with his Somerset County Cap, and was called into the England A touring squad to Australia.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
er who played in two Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
in 1993. Lathwell played the entirety of his First-class cricket
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...
career for Somerset County Cricket Club
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...
and is regarded as one of the best young batsmen England has ever produced. However, this promise never materialised, and despite successful seasons with Somerset, Lathwell never regained a place in the international set-up, and retired in 2001.
Early career and England U19 matches
Mark Lathwell attended Braunton Community CollegeBraunton Community College
Braunton School and Community college was opened in 1937 with 140 pupils, it has grown Massively and is now a state comprehensive school in Braunton, North Devon, England. It has around 750 pupils aged 11 to 16...
and began his career playing for the Somerset Second XI, aged 18, in 1990. He made his limited overs debut in a rain-affected match against Glamorgan Second XI
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
in which he scored 18 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
and bowled 7 over
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
s for 25 runs. He then played in the corresponding 3-day match, scoring 17 and 10 in a heavy defeat for Somerset. Attention was drawn to Lathwell when he played against Sussex Second XI
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
in June 1990. Opening the batting
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
scored 168 not out, and took part in a partnership
Partnership (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, two batsmen always bat in partnership, although only one is on strike at any time. The partnership between two batsmen will come to an end when one of them is dismissed or retires, or the innings comes to a close In the sport of cricket, two batsmen always bat in...
of 235 with Nick Pringle
Nick Pringle
Nicholas John Pringle is a former English cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club between 1986 and 1991. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he played 27 first-class matches and 12 List A matches during his career...
. Lathwell also took the only wicket in Sussex's (declared) first innings, and scored 37 in the second. He then scored 69 runs in the match against Leicestershire Second XI
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
and made his List A cricket debut against the touring Sri Lankans, bowling 7 overs.
At the start of the 1991 season, Lathwell played for the English U-19 cricket team
English U-19 cricket team
The English Under-19 cricket team have been playing official Under-19 test matches since 1974. Prior to 1991/92 they were known as England Young Cricketers....
against the Sussex side he overpowered the previous summer, although was run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
for just two runs. He scored eight half-centuries over the summer, before breaking into the Somerset First XI first in the 40-over competition, and then for the final first-class match of the season. For England Young Cricketers, Lathwell played in two Youth One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Youth Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
against Australia Young Cricketers, scoring 262 runs at an average of 32.75 and a top score of 66.
First season for Somerset First XI
The 1992 season saw Lathwell in the Second XI, but he was beginning to break through into the First XI in one-day cricket. He opened the batting in two matches against the Netherlands (scoring 52 in the second). Lathwell top scored in the first Sunday League match of the season against KentKent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
to set up a comfortable 4 wicket win. Two days later, Somerset played Kent again in the Benson & Hedges Cup
Benson & Hedges Cup
The Benson & Hedges Cup was a one-day cricket competition for first-class counties in England and Wales that was held from 1972 to 2002, one of cricket's longest sponsorship deals....
, succumbing to a heavy defeat, Lathwell inexplicably batting at number 9. After another half-century for the Second XI, Lathwell was now firmly in the first team for the remainder of the season. It was an excellent debut season for Lathwell, scoring eleven half-centuries and one century (114 against Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
) in first-class cricket. There was a lean spell in the middle of the season with consecutive scores of 1, 2, 3, 0 and 4, but Lathwell responded well with five innings between 45 and 72 and finished with a highly respectable average of 36.75 in first-class cricket. Lathwell was now established as an opening batsman, and was seldom used as a bowler, only taking wickets in for the season. He scored well in List A cricket too, but failed to convert any scores into centuries (his highest being 85, 93 and 95). Lathwell was rewarded with his Somerset County Cap, and was called into the England A touring squad to Australia.
External links
- Player Profile: Mark Lathwell from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...