When Tom Latham was first called up to play for New Zealand, in ODIs against Zimbabwe in 2012, the news came to him as a massive surprise. He had made a hundred for Canterbury but had otherwise played only a handful of List A games. Four years on, at the end of New Zealands tour of India this season, Latham was the sides highest run-getter - 244 runs at a strike rate of nearly 90 - in the five-match one-day series.The son of Rocking Rod Latham, who is remembered for his attacking batting in the 1992 World Cup, has always been known for his more orthodox style of play.Id probably say Im more of a traditionalist than a flamboyant [batsman], Latham says. Im probably more technically correct than maybe he was, but its cool to look back and see what he did in the game and now see what I am doing.He believes his father is more suited to T20 than him. During the World Cup he played, in 92, [Mark] Greatbatch started something off, I guess, and it is pretty cool to look back and see the way he played.Latham was about 15 when he decided to commit to a future in cricket over rugby, after he made a New Zealand Under-19 side to tour England. He and his older brother Matt used to play rugby and cricket growing up, and being an All Black was a childhood dream, but the cricket call-up changed things. I suppose when your name is put for New Zealand, thats where the dream started, he says. So I decided to finish rugby and put all my time to cricket. I think that was a good decision.Rod coached his sons teams when they were young, but Latham now relies on his father more for parental-type advice than for coaching. Hess [Mike Hesson] and Craig McMillan here, and Bob Carter and Paul Wiseman back home are the coaches I have worked with growing up. They are the guys I talk to a lot about batting and have a lot of sessions [with] back home.I suppose its nice to lean on his [Rod Lathams] advice. When something is going wrong, because he has been at that level, been there done that, he knows the pressures of international cricket.Unlike his father, who got his first chance at international cricket when he was nearly 30, Latham junior was only 19 when he won his first New Zealand cap. But an earlier start didnt mean an easier one. Latham batted in every position from one to nine, and was the teams reserve wicketkeeper, without ever being a certainty in the XI.It was nice to get that opportunity at an early age and have a taste for it early on and see the standard of where I needed to get there, Latham says. I suppose that was a unique situation [batting from one to nine]. I was sort of a utility guy; I wasnt necessarily first choice in the team, but managed to fill a lot of spots, whether it was at the top of the order or in the middle or with the gloves.The ride got smoother when he made his Test debut. New Zealand had been struggling to find a consistent opening combination and Latham gave them some relief with three 70-plus scores in his first five Test innings, in the West Indies in 2014. In each of those innings Latham batted for four hours or longer. Later that year he scored his maiden Test hundred, against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, and followed it up with another century in the next Test, in Sharjah.When you miss out, that makes you hungry to get back in the side, and its only in the last couple of years that I have been a full member of the side, he says. Its been really nice I got the opportunity to open, and I certainly feel that position suits my game a lot, and its been a good couple of years.This period has also been marked by Lathams increasing prowess overseas - four of his five Test hundreds have come outside New Zealand. On the difficult tour of India, not only did Latham do well in the ODIs, he was also easily New Zealands best batsman in the Tests. He occupied the crease for 18 hours, nearly six and a half more than the captain, Kane Williamson, second on the list, did.Latham cant quite explain his success abroad, but says he formulates a game plan and sticks to it.As soon as I go outside my game plan, thats when things seem to go wrong. For me, especially at the Test level, its about sticking it out there and spending as much time at the crease [as possible].So what is his game plan?I dont want let too much into my secret, but its having shots you want to score from certain bowlers.Obviously, as youve seen here [in India] and in the UAE, I love playing the sweep shot. Its one of my favourite shots and a shot that seems to work really well for me.I wouldnt say Ive put a massive focus on it. Its just a shot that comes naturally to me. I probably find playing that easier than going down the ground.Latham places emphasis also on emotional equanimity, especially in conditions where there is either exaggerated swing or turn. The attritional nature of his game, he says, requires both physical and mental fitness. Its about sticking to your game plan and believing in that plan to work, [even if] you have faced 30 dots, he says. You have to keep calm. What happened the ball before doesnt matter now. Youve got to regroup and focus on the next ball. The more times you can do that then it means hopefully you can score a lot of runs.Ive done a little bit of work growing up in certain camps and winter-training groups arranged by New Zealand Cricket, a bit of mental stuff.He says the conditions in India were the toughest he has faced and that its difficult to replicate this sort of environment while training back at home.If you look at the scores I got in the Test matches [three fifties without a hundred], maybe I did run out of steam a little bit. I dont think you can train for that back home in conditions that are so different. Its about staying hydrated and being as fit as possible.When you want to win games of cricket, you need those big scores. I have been in that position a lot this tour, and hopefully whenever I am in that position next time, I can kick on. Its about doing things for longer over here. If you can keep [the bowlers] out for as long as possible, they are human and they will bowl bad balls. I suppose thats the biggest learning for me - trying to do things for a little bit longer.But its not that Latham altered his technique to get runs in the ODIs. What he altered was his mindset, while playing county cricket for Kent earlier this year. I wouldnt say I have done a huge focus on one-day cricket. Its been more just groove the technical thing. Its more of a mindset change than a technical change, he says. I was lucky enough to go over and play county cricket this year and found it really good just playing day in and day out and not training too much.You are itching to play all three formats. For me, thats been a big thing coming over here and improving my strike rate early on. Not necessarily my strike rate, but just a little more intent at the crease. I feel like Ive done that recently well.New Zealands journey to the World Cup final last year played an important role as well in kindling Lathams desire to be a regular in the ODI set-up. Though part of the World Cup squad, he didnt get a game. But he wouldnt trade the experience for anything. We had a hell of a side out there. It was an amazing six weeks for us. When you are in your own tricky situations, you draw experiences from them and believe that things can be done. Its very motivating to want to play 50-over cricket.As a young keeper, Latham grew up idolising Adam Gilchrist and Brendon McCullum, and he says it was surreal when he first got to share the dressing room with McCullum. More recently, Latham has benefited from his interactions with Williamson and Hesson.Over the last two to three years, its been a nice time for New Zealand cricket. We have played some very good cricket and its an amazing culture weve got there. There are no rules or anything like that - we are all adults. What Brendon and Kane, and all of those guys, have brought to this group is belief.With Kane [the conversations are] probably more about batting, and Kane is quite hooked about batting. I suppose weve got a similar sort of mindset on things and just to share ideas and see what hes working on. A lot of things have come in handy - I am not going to say what, but its just good to chat about cricket; its a game we all love and we are all trying to better.When its pointed out that some of his shots, like the back-foot punch, bear likeness to Kumar Sangakkaras, Latham smiles and says he has read people say as much on social media. Hes another one I have looked up to. Its about trying to take little things they do and have your own spring on things. Id certainly love to sit down with him, if I ever get a chance, and just talk batting.Latham says outside of cricket hes a quiet person who loves to spend time outdoors, mostly playing golf. But hed also like to be a role model for youngsters in the way former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw was for him. He has been pretty inspirational for a lot of New Zealanders, winning two World Cups back to back, and what he has done as a player is pretty cool.If I carry on playing for the Black Caps, hopefully I can inspire people and they can look up to me. And it goes for everyone. We are all trying to do our best for our country and the support we get is amazing. Hopefully that continues.Air Max From China . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. China Shoes https://www.chinashoes.us/ . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. China Shoes Online . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Nike Shoes From China . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Skies and pools both darkened Wednesday as the sun-splashed Olympics in Rio de Janeiro gave way to gray clouds and murky green waters.The Rio Games were drenched in rain and continued questions about why the diving well and water polo pools look so much like neglected aquariums.The first American male basketball player to appear in four Olympics, Carmelo Anthony passed LeBron James as the most prolific scorer to ever wear a USA jersey. The U.S. mens basketball team needed every one of his 31 points as they got their first good test in fending off Australia 98-88.Katie Ledeckys strong final leg helped the U.S. women win the 4x200 freestyle relay over silver medalist Australia.Brazil finally found its scoring touch in the mens soccer tournament at the Olympics, the host country advancing to the quarterfinals by beating Denmark 4-0 and avoiding an embarrassing elimination in front of the home fans. Brazil plays Colombia in Sao Paulo on Saturday.The third day of the mens water polo tournament began in green-tinged water, though not nearly as dark as the neighboring diving pool at the aquatics center. It was crystal blue the day before.Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not pools.A decrease in the alkaline level in the diving well Tuesday afternoon led to the green color, organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada said. He added that the pool for water polo and synchronized swimming is being affected in the same way but we expect the color to be back to blue very shortly.Rio organizers insisted the athletes werent at risk in the green pools.They were on the waters and slippery roadways, though.Strong winds rattled palm trees along the coast and whipped up waves on the scenic lagoon where rowing was postponed for a full day for the second time this week. With winds too blustery, rowers packed up their oars for the day as cyclists hit slick roads on skinny time-trial bikes unsuited to harsh weather conditions.Under dark skies, the cyclists faced lashing rain and wind on the time-trial course along Rios southern coast. The conditions might have cost Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands a medal. She slid off the road and got tangled in weeds before finishhing fourth.ddddddddddddAmerican Kristin Armstrong won the race.With the cooler weather, away went the bare skin and out came the full leggings and long-sleeve shirts in beach volleyball as temperatures dipped into the lower 60s after sunset, the coldest night yet.Other highlights from Day 5 at the Rio Games:SWIMMING SHOCKER : Kazakhstan has its first Olympic swimming medal, and its golden. Dmitriy Balandin pulled off a stunning upset in the mens 200-meter breaststroke, winning from the eighth lane to put his central Asian country on the swimming medal stand for the first time. Yosuhiro Koseki of Japan went out fast and was more than a second under world-record pace at the final turn but faded to fifth. Josh Prenot of the United States claimed silver and Anton Chupkov of Russia landed the bronze.EBNER ELIMINATED : Nate Ebner, the safety for the New England Patriots who took a break from training camp to fulfill his Olympic dream, sprinted from almost halfway to score a try in the right corner against Fiji to make it 24-19, piling the pressure on Madison Hughes. But the U.S. captain and goal kicker missed the conversion from out wide, leaving the margin at five. Less than that and the Americans would have advanced.ROWING AT RISK : Twenty-two races, including the first two medal races, were postponed in the regatta but international rowing federation director Matt Smith said theres still room on the schedule without having to resort to drastic measures -- even if competition is also called off Thursday.LIFES A BEACH : The American beach volleyball team of Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson were eliminated from the Olympics on a tiebreaker. Thats the first U.S mens team to fail to advance out of pool play since the 2004 Athens Games. On the womens side, April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings defeated Switzerland and boisterously celebrated after the match. But the Americans lost a set -- something that has happened only once to Walsh Jennings in the last three Olympics.---AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org---Follow AP Sports Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '