NZ Openers Rewrite Test Match Records Against West Indies

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

Final 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 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 cricket to register tons in each innings of a match, leaving the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

Latham scored 137 and 101 in this series decider, while Conway built upon his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a composed 100 in the second.

The pair had shared a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, totaling 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark 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 hundred and a century in the identical game.

He followed 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 bowled out for 420, facing a deficit of 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 sporting declaration, setting the visitors a formidable 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 made 37.

Lisa Romero
Lisa Romero

A cultural critic and urban explorer who writes about city life, trends, and community dynamics with a fresh perspective.