NZ Openers Rewrite Test Match Records Against 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 first openers in Test match history to score centuries in both innings of a match, setting the West Indies a daunting 462-run target for victory.

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

The pair had constructed a colossal 323-run stand in the first innings, amassing 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark for the most runs by an opening pair in a single Test match.

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

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

Match Context

Earlier on day four, the Windies were dismissed for 420, facing a deficit of 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 near-impossible target of 462 to win and square the series.

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

Amanda Adams
Amanda Adams

A seasoned journalist and royal commentator with over a decade of experience covering British culture and monarchy affairs.