Wisden overview
A natural talent with a wristy cover-drive and a superb eye, Lathwell's main problem was that he tended to freeze in front of anything more than three men and a dog. When he began at Somerset in 1991 he was almost immediately marked down as a future England opener, despite an unimposing presence at the crease. He went on the first of two A tours in 1992-93, but when he made it into the full side, during the 1993 Ashes series, the nerves took over. Lathwell did reasonably in the first game, but failed twice in the next as Merv Hughes and minimal footwork proved his undoing; the selectors showed no patience. After that he shone only sporadically for Somerset, and some thought he lacked the drive to regain his England place. After missing the 1999 season through injury, Lathwell was a marginal figure in 2000, and retired the following season at the age of 29. The Test place that had once seemed in his reach fell instead to his team-mate and friend, Marcus Trescothick. Lawrence Booth

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