Bay Oval : New Zealand openers and captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway etched their names into the history books during the third Test of the three-match series against West Indies at Bay Oval. The pair achieved a historic milestone that had never been witnessed before in Test cricket.
Latham and Conway became the first opening pair in the history of Test cricket to score centuries in both innings of the same match. This extraordinary achievement came on Day 4 of the Test, making the day a landmark moment for the longest format of the game.
Centuries in the Second Innings
On Sunday, both openers once again dominated the West Indies bowling attack in New Zealand’s second innings.
- Tom Latham scored 101 runs off 130 balls before getting out.
- Devon Conway followed suit with a fluent 100 off 139 deliveries.
Their composed and confident batting ensured that New Zealand maintained complete control of the match.
First-Innings Dominance
The duo had already laid a strong foundation in the first innings with monumental centuries:
- Latham scored 137 runs off 246 balls
- Conway played a marathon knock of 227 runs off 367 balls
With these innings, Conway also became the first New Zealand batter to score a double century and a century in the same Test match, adding another remarkable record to his name.
Record-Breaking Opening Partnership
In the first innings, Latham and Conway stitched together a massive 323-run partnership for the first wicket, which is now the highest opening partnership in the history of the World Test Championship (WTC).
This partnership surpassed the previous WTC record held by India’s Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal, who had added 317 runs against South Africa in 2019. Pakistan’s Abid Ali and Shan Masood are third on the list with a 278-run stand against Sri Lanka in 2019.
Elite List of New Zealand Batters
By scoring centuries in both innings of the Test, Latham and Conway joined an elite list of New Zealand batters who have achieved this rare feat:
- Glenn Turner – vs Australia (1974)
- Geoff Howarth – vs England (1978)
- Andrew Jones – vs Sri Lanka (1991)
- Peter Fulton – vs England (2013)
- Kane Williamson – vs South Africa (2024)
- Devon Conway & Tom Latham – vs West Indies (2025)
A Historic Moment for Test Cricket
The performance of Latham and Conway has been hailed as one of the finest opening acts in Test cricket history. Their consistency, patience, and ability to dominate across both innings underline New Zealand’s strength at the top of the order.
As the Test progresses, this match will be remembered not just for the result, but for a historic batting display that redefined what an opening partnership can achieve in Test cricket.