New Zealand Openers Shatter Test Match Records Versus West Indies

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

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: Hodge 123 and 43-0

New Zealand's Tom Latham and Devon Conway made history by becoming the initial opening pair in Test cricket to hit hundreds in each innings of a match, leaving the West Indies a massive 462-run target for victory.

Latham scored 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 put on a colossal 323-run stand in the first innings, combining for 515 runs overall—a new record for the most runs by an opening pair in a Test.

Furthermore, Conway entered rare company in Test history to score 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 achieving this remarkable feat.

Game Situation

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

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

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

Robert Warren
Robert Warren

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