NZ Opening Batsmen Break Test Match Records Against West Indies

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

Final 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 achieved a historic first by becoming the first openers in Test match history to hit hundreds in both innings of a match, leaving the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

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

The partnership had constructed a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, combining for 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark for the highest aggregate an opening pair in a five-day game.

Furthermore, Conway became just the 10th batter in Test history to achieve a double hundred and a century in the same match.

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

Match Context

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 knocks 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 stumps, 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.

Melissa Bennett
Melissa Bennett

A seasoned sports betting analyst with a passion for data-driven insights and fair play.