New Zealand Opening Batsmen Rewrite Test Milestones Versus West Indies

Cricket action
Tom Latham and Devon Conway have given the Kiwis a dominant lead.

Third Test, Mount Maunganui (the fourth day 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 achieved a historic first by becoming the initial opening pair in Test cricket to score centuries in both innings of a match, setting the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

Latham posted 137 and 101 in this third and final Test, while Conway added to his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a composed 100 in the second.

The pair had put on a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, combining for 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark for the highest aggregate an opening pair in a single Test match.

Furthermore, Conway entered rare company in Test history to score a double hundred and a century in the same match.

He joined the ranks of legends like Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara in accomplishing this notable feat.

Game Situation

Earlier on day four, the Windies were dismissed for 420, trailing by 155 runs, before Latham and Conway resumed their partnership.

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

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

Daniel Watson
Daniel Watson

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