New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway have rewritten the World Test Championship record books, registering the highest opening partnership since the competition began in 2019 with a commanding stand against the West Indies at Mount Maunganui.
The pair put on a superb 323 runs for the first wicket, surpassing the previous WTC record of 317 held by India’s Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. Their marathon partnership laid the foundation for New Zealand’s dominance, as the West Indies bowling attack struggled to make inroads on a surface that rewarded discipline and patience.
Captain Latham led from the front with a composed 137, bringing up his 15th Test century, while Conway remained unbeaten on 178, his sixth hundred in the format, as the Black Caps seized complete control of the contest.
Reflecting on the effort, Conway highlighted the often-overlooked challenge of opening the batting, particularly in New Zealand conditions.
“Opening is a very underappreciated job,” Conway said.
“Quite often on day one you turn up and it’s pretty green. You’ve got to get yourself into a good position and stay disciplined, because there’s usually a ball with your name on it here in New Zealand.”
Latham eventually fell late on the opening day to Kemar Roach, but not before his experience and calm approach had anchored the innings. Nightwatchman Jacob Duffy joined Conway as New Zealand closed day one in a commanding position at 334 for 1.
Conway was full of praise for his captain’s contribution, crediting Latham’s consistency at the top of the order.
“A lot of credit goes to Tom,” he said.
“He’s played close to 90 Tests now and scored his 15th hundred. Many of those centuries have come here in New Zealand, where opening the batting is never easy.”
While the partnership fell short of New Zealand’s all-time opening record of 387, set by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis against the West Indies in 1972, it still ranks as the joint 12th-highest opening stand in Test history. More importantly, it stands alone as the highest opening partnership of the World Test Championship era.
Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal had held the WTC record since 2019, but Latham and Conway edged past their mark just before stumps, capping a dominant day for the hosts.
Conway ended the day just 22 runs shy of a double century, though he insisted personal milestones were not his focus.
“I just want to stay in the process, ball by ball,” he said.
“The goal is to bat long, build partnerships, and make the most of a wicket that will only get flatter. That gives our bowlers, especially the spinners, a chance to play their role later in the Test.”
With history already made, New Zealand will look to turn their commanding position into a decisive advantage as the match progresses.
