Born in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Lathwell attended Braunton Community College and began his career playing for the Somerset Second XI, aged 18, in 1990.
[2] He then scored 69 runs in the match against Leicestershire Second XI, before making his List A debut against the touring Sri Lankans, bowling seven overs.
Two days later, Somerset played Kent again in the Benson & Hedges Cup, succumbing to a heavy defeat, Lathwell inexplicably batting at number 9.
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 one of the successes of the England A tour, scoring 175 against Tasmania,[8] and adding another hundred against New South Wales at the SCG against an attack that included a young Glenn McGrath.
[10] Ironically, by the time of his England selection Lathwell's form had undergone a decline,[11] and he made only 4 and 0 in his last game for Somerset before his Test debut.