NZ Opening Batsmen Rewrite Test Match Records Versus WI
Third Test, Mount Maunganui (the fourth day 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 made history by becoming the first openers in Test cricket to score centuries in each innings of a match, setting the West Indies a daunting 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 partnership had constructed a colossal 323-run stand in the first innings, totaling 515 runs overall—a unprecedented total for the highest aggregate an opening pair in a five-day game.
Furthermore, Conway became just the 10th batter in Test history to score a double century 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 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 resumed their partnership.
Along with knocks 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 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 was more aggressive on 37.