Conway Latham Partnership Batters West Indies as New Zealand Dominate Day One at Bay Oval

Mount Maunganui: New Zealand tightened their grip on the third and final Test against West Indies on Thursday as an unbroken opening stand of historic proportions between Tom Latham and Devon Conway drained the visitors of momentum on a day that promised far more for the bowlers than it delivered.

On a Bay Oval surface that appeared green enough to reward seam movement, Latham’s decision to bat first was greeted with visible approval from West Indies captain Roston Chase. Early signs suggested the gamble might backfire. The new ball seamed and swung under clear skies, and for the first half hour West Indies’ fast bowlers beat the outside edge repeatedly without finding the breakthrough they desperately needed.

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That failure proved costly. Once Latham and Conway navigated the opening spell, the contest slipped steadily away from the visitors. By lunch, New Zealand had moved to 83 without loss, and the pair returned after the interval with greater authority, turning patience into quiet dominance.

The opening partnership eventually reached 323 runs, the highest ever by a New Zealand opening pair at home and the second-highest opening stand in the country’s Test history. Only Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis’ 387 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1972 stands above it on New Zealand’s all-time list.

For West Indies, the numbers told a harsher story. It took 86.4 overs to secure their first wicket, placing the effort among the longest waits for a breakthrough in Test cricket this century, according to match data. Analysts noted that while conditions offered early assistance, the inability to maintain discipline after the initial spell allowed the game to drift irreversibly.

Conway, calm and compact, reached his sixth Test century in the middle session, punishing loose deliveries and showing little discomfort against either pace or spin. His unbeaten 178 by stumps was the third-highest score by a New Zealand batter on the opening day of a Test, behind Brendon McCullum’s 195 against Sri Lanka in 2014 and Latham’s own 186 not out versus Bangladesh in 2022.

Latham, equally assured, brought up his 15th Test hundred late in the afternoon, cutting and driving with authority once the bowlers tired. He was reprieved when wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach spilled a regulation chance, a moment that summed up West Indies’ day as concentration ebbed in the field.

By tea, New Zealand’s run rate had climbed without apparent risk. West Indies went through the second session without bowling a maiden over, conceding boundaries at regular intervals as Chase searched unsuccessfully for control. Spin offered little assistance on a pitch that flattened quickly, and seamers struggled to rediscover the movement seen early on.

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The breakthrough finally arrived shortly before the new ball was due. Veteran pacer Kemar Roach angled one across Latham from around the wicket, drawing the edge for a low catch at slip by Chase. Latham departed for 137, ending a stand that now sits joint-12th on the list of highest opening partnerships in Test history.

New Zealand closed the day on 334 for one, with Conway unbeaten and well placed to convert his innings into a double century on the second morning. For the hosts, the performance underlined the depth and stability at the top of the order, with Latham and Conway now surpassing previous national records for opening pairs in Tests.

West Indies, meanwhile, face familiar questions about sustaining pressure and translating early promise into tangible rewards. Team officials acknowledged before the match that discipline would be critical on New Zealand surfaces, and the first day offered a reminder of how quickly fortunes can turn when that discipline lapses.

With at least four days remaining, the visitors still have time to respond, but the immediate task on Friday will be to strike early and prevent New Zealand from posting a commanding first-innings total. Failure to do so would leave West Indies battling not only the scoreboard, but the momentum that swung decisively away from them on a draining opening day at Mount Maunganui.