New Zealand Openers Rewrite Test Match Records Versus WI

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: 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 register tons in each innings of a match, setting 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 duo had constructed a colossal 323-run stand in the first innings, amassing 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark for the most runs by an opening pair in a five-day game.

Furthermore, Conway became just the 10th batter in Test history to score a double hundred and a century in the identical game.

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

Match Context

Earlier on day four, the Windies were dismissed for 420, trailing by 155 runs, before Latham and Conway again took to the crease.

Along with knocks from Kane Williamson (40) and Rachin Ravindra (46), the New Zealand top order propelled their side to 306-2 before a declaration, leaving the visitors a near-impossible target of 462 to win and square the series.

At the stumps, West Indies openers had reached 43-0, with John Campbell digging in to score two runs from 50 balls, while Brandon King was more aggressive on 37.