New Zealand Openers Break Test Match Milestones Versus West Indies

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

Final Test, Mount Maunganui (day four of five)

  • New Zealand 575 for 8 declared: 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 score centuries in each innings of a match, leaving the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

Latham notched up 137 and 101 in this third and final Test, while Conway built upon his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a composed 100 in the second.

The partnership had put on a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, totaling 515 runs overall—a new record for the most runs by an opening pair in a Test.

Furthermore, Conway joined an elite club in Test history to achieve a double century and a hundred in the same match.

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

Match Context

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, leaving the visitors a near-impossible 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.

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