New Zealand Opening Batsmen Break 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: 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 register tons in both 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 partnership had put on 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 Test.
Furthermore, Conway entered rare company in Test history to achieve a double hundred and a hundred in the same match.
He followed legends like Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara in accomplishing 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 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, leaving the visitors a formidable target of 462 to win and level 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 was more aggressive on 37.
