Devon Conway and Tom Latham make records fall like dominoes with historic opening stand vs West Indies

Devon Conway and Tom Latham set a New Zealand record with a 323-run opening partnership against West Indies.

Devon Conway and Tom Latham rewrote New Zealand cricket history today, crafting a monumental 323-run opening partnership against West Indies across 86.4 overs at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.

Devon Conway and Tom Latham touch gloves during day one of the third Test match between New Zealand and West Indies. (AFP)

In a rare decision for New Zealand at home, captain Tom Latham won the toss and boldly chose to bat first, the first time a Kiwi skipper had done so since 2011. The gamble paid off spectacularly as the left-handed duo almost batted through every session without loss, eventually guiding New Zealand to a commanding 334/1 at stumps with Conway unbeaten on 178 and Latham falling for 137 just before the close.

Records broken by Latham and Conway

The partnership has multiple records. Here is a look at all the records tumbled down by the stellar opening partnership.

World Records:

• Highest opening partnership in ICC World Test Championship history (beat Rohit Sharma/Mayank Agarwal’s 317 for India vs South Africa, 2019)
• Joint 12th-highest opening partnership in Test cricket history
• Only the 16th opening partnership of 300+ runs in 148 years of Test cricket
• Highest partnership by in Test cricket in 2025

New Zealand records:

• Second-highest opening partnership in NZ Test history (behind Turner/Jarvis 387 vs West Indies, 1972)
• Highest opening partnership ever on New Zealand soil (surpassed Dumpster/Mills 276 vs England, 1930 - a 95-year-old record)
• Only the 8th partnership of 300+ runs in NZ Test history
• Conway-Latham became NZ’s most productive opening pair: 1,721 runs in 43 innings (surpassed Wright/Edgar 1,655 in 56 innings)

Venue records:

• Highest partnership for any wicket at Bay Oval (beat Watling/Santner 261 vs England, 2019)
• First opening partnership of 200+ runs at Bay Oval
• First opening partnership of 300+ runs at Bay Oval

Dominance defined

Devon Conway’s 178 not out came off 279 balls with 25 boundaries, marking his sixth Test century and first home hundred since January 2022. Latham’s 137 featured 15 fours and a six from 246 deliveries, showcasing a textbook technique that defied the West Indies’ bowling attack.

The partnership unfolded with relentless precision. After weathering an initial examination where the West Indies conceded just 11 runs in eight overs, Conway and Tom Latham accelerated ruthlessly. They brought up their 200-run stand in the 54th over, breached the 95-year-old record at 277 runs in the 72nd over, and surged past 300 in the 80th over.

West Indies endured their fourth-longest wait for a first wicket in Tests this century, with their bowlers toiling the entire day as New Zealand’s openers batted with impunity. With Conway still at the crease and eyeing a double century, this historic partnership has put the hosts in complete command of the match.