Record-Breaking Openers Put New Zealand Firmly in Control Against West Indies
So, let me walk you through what has been an extraordinary Test match between New Zealand and the West Indies at Mount Maunganui, because what we’ve seen here is something truly special in the history of cricket. This third and final Test has been dominated by New Zealand’s opening pair, Tom Latham and Devon Conway, who have not just scored runs, but have completely rewritten the record books.
From the very start, it was clear that the West Indies bowlers were going to be in for a long few days. In the first innings, New Zealand piled on a massive 575 before declaring, and the foundation of that total was laid by Latham and Conway. The pair put together a huge opening stand of 323 runs, with Conway producing a career-best double century of 227, while Latham chipped in with a classy 137. It was the kind of partnership that drains bowlers, breaks plans, and shifts momentum permanently.
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After being bowled out for 420, the West Indies were already trailing by 155 runs, but the real damage was still to come. When New Zealand batted again, Latham and Conway walked out and simply picked up where they had left off. Centuries were scored again by both men, making them the first opening pair in Test cricket history to score hundreds in both innings of the same match. By the time Conway reached 100 and Latham followed with his own century, history had already been made.
Across the match, the two openers combined for a staggering 515 runs, the highest total ever by an opening pair in a single Test. Conway also etched his name into an elite list by becoming just the 10th player in Test history to score a double century and a century in the same game. It was a performance built on patience, control, and the ability to punish anything loose, especially once the bowlers began to tire.
With Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra adding quick runs, New Zealand raced to 306 for two in the second innings before declaring. That decision left the West Indies needing an almost unimaginable 462 runs to win and level the series. At stumps on day four, the visitors were 43 without loss, but the task ahead remains monumental, especially with the pitch starting to show signs of wear.
As things stand, New Zealand are firmly in command, just 10 wickets away from sealing both the match and the series. While the West Indies have shown resilience at times, it’s hard to look past the Black Caps after a Test that has been defined by one of the greatest opening partnerships the game has ever seen.
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