New Zealand Opening Batsmen Rewrite Test Records Against WI

Cricket action
Tom Latham and Devon Conway have established a formidable advantage for their team.

Final Test, Mount Maunganui (day four of five)

  • New Zealand 575 for 8 declared: Conway 227, Latham 137 and 306-2 dec: Latham 101, Conway 100
  • West Indies 420 all out: Hodge 123 and 43-0

New Zealand's Tom Latham and Devon Conway etched their names in the record books by becoming the initial opening pair in Test match history to hit hundreds in each innings of a match, setting the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

Latham scored 137 and 101 in this third and final Test, while Conway built upon his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a precise 100 in the second.

The partnership had put on a colossal 323-run stand in the first innings, amassing 515 runs overall—a new record for the most runs by an opening pair in a Test.

Furthermore, Conway became just the 10th batter in Test history to achieve a double century and a century in the same match.

He followed legends like Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara in securing this extraordinary feat.

Game Situation

Earlier on day four, the Windies were dismissed for 420, trailing by 155 runs, before Latham and Conway again took to the crease.

Along with knocks from Kane Williamson (40) and Rachin Ravindra (46), the New Zealand openers propelled their side to 306-2 before a declaration, leaving the visitors a formidable target of 462 to win and level the series.

At the close of play, West Indies openers had reached 43-0, with John Campbell digging in to score two runs from 50 balls, while Brandon King made 37.

Jeffery Sharp
Jeffery Sharp

Tech journalist and sustainability advocate exploring the intersection of innovation and environmental consciousness.