New Zealand Opening Batsmen Break Test Records Versus WI

Cricket action
Tom Latham and Devon Conway have put New Zealand in a commanding position.

Third Test, Mount Maunganui (day four of five)

  • New Zealand 575-8 dec: Conway 227, Latham 137 and 306-2 dec: Latham 101, Conway 100
  • West Indies 420: 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, leaving the West Indies a daunting 462-run target for victory.

Latham posted 137 and 101 in this series decider, while Conway added to his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a precise 100 in the second.

The duo had constructed a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, totaling 515 runs overall—a new record for the most runs by an opening pair in a Test.

Furthermore, Conway joined an elite club in Test history to achieve a double century and a hundred in the identical game.

He emulated legends like Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara in achieving this extraordinary 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 contributions from Kane Williamson (40) and Rachin Ravindra (46), the New Zealand openers propelled their side to 306-2 before a declaration, setting the visitors a near-impossible 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 was more aggressive on 37.

Cynthia Holmes
Cynthia Holmes

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