Stats – Latham and Conway dominate as West Indies wait long for a wicket Stats – Latham-Conway stand leaves West Indies wicketless for 86 overs Stats – Opening pair shines as West Indies endure long wicket drought Stats – Latham and Conway punish West Indies after marathon opening stand Stats – Numbers behind Latham-Conway’s big day and West Indies’ long wait

Tom Latham and Devon Conway put together one of the greatest opening partnerships in New Zealand Test cricket history. Their stand is the second-highest opening partnership for New Zealand in Tests, beaten only by the 387 runs scored by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis against West Indies in 1972.

It is also the highest opening partnership ever made by New Zealand at home, going past the earlier record of 276 runs, which had been set twice before, in 1930 and 1999.

West Indies had to bowl for a very long time before they could take their first wicket. It took them 86.4 overs, which is the fourth-longest wait for a first wicket in this century. The longest wait was 114.1 overs by Zimbabwe against West Indies in 2023.

Devon Conway finished the first day unbeaten on 178 runs. This is the third-highest score by a New Zealand batter on the opening day of a Test match. Only Brendon McCullum (195 in 2014) and Tom Latham (186* in 2022) have scored more, and both of those innings were played in Christchurch.

The first wicket for West Indies was taken by Kemar Roach, who dismissed Tom Latham on the first day of the third Test at Mount Maunganui on December 18, 2025.

This match also marked the sixth time in New Zealand’s Test history that both opening batters scored centuries in the same innings. The last time this happened was in 2019, when Latham and Jeet Raval did it against Bangladesh.

Latham and Conway have now shared two opening partnerships of more than 150 runs, including one against Pakistan in Karachi in 2022. Only one other New Zealand opening pair, John Wright and Trevor Franklin, has achieved this.

They have also put together four century opening partnerships, which is the second-most for any New Zealand opening pair. Only Wright and Franklin have more.

Overall, Latham and Conway have scored 1,721 runs together as Test openers in 43 innings. This makes them the most successful opening pair in New Zealand Test history, breaking the previous record held by John Wright and Bruce Edgar.

Related Quires

 

Tom Latham

Devon Conway

New Zealand

West Indies

New Zealand vs West Indies

West Indies tour of New Zealand

ICC World Test Championship