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MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Devon Conway and Tom Latham plundered a poor West Indies attack for a mammoth opening partnership on day one of the third Test here on Thursday as New Zealand piled up 334-1.
Conway ended the day 178 not out, and captain Latham was out just before the close for 137. Nightwatchman Jacob Duffy was on nine at Stumps.
Conway and Latham put together 323, the second-highest opening partnership for New Zealand, only bettered by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis’s 387 stand against the West Indies in Georgetown in 1972.
It was also only the eighth time New Zealand had registered a stand in excess of 300 in Tests.
Conway batted all day, facing 279 balls for his second century of the calendar year, but his first at home since January 2022 against Bangladesh in Christchurch. He scored 153 against Zimbabwe in August.
The 34-year-old Conway brought up his sixth Test century from 147 balls, and stroked 25 fours during his 279-ball stay.
Latham’s 15th Test century contained 15 fours and a six as he faced 264 balls.
Conway and captain Latham had a near chanceless partnership. For the first two sessions, the West Indies toiled without so much as a single lbw shout.
Early in the third session, they finally created a chance, but Latham was dropped by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off the bowling of Anderson Phillip when on 104 and New Zealand on 253.
The marathon partnership justified Latham’s decision to bat first on a green-looking wicket that is tipped to suit spin later in the match.
The West Indies seamers found good movement off the grassy surface in the opening overs, bowling tight lines which had both Conway and Latham defending cautiously, but they became more aggressive once the new ball was seen off.
West Indies skipper Roston Chase said he would have bowled had he won the toss.
At a suggestion, spin would play a part later in the match, said he would “have to see it to believe it”. But after just 22 overs, Chase was on to bowl his offspin and ended up bowling 19 overs throughout the day.
Kemar Roach was the best of the bowlers, taking the lone wicket for figures of 1-63 from 17 overs.
New Zealand included spinner Ajaz Patel in their side for his first home Test in five years. Tom Blundell returned to keep wicket after missing the previous Test with injury.
The West Indies made one change, with the injured fast bowler Ojay Shields replaced by batsman Alick Athanaze.
New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0, after a draw in the first Test in Christchurch, and a nine-wicket win in Wellington.
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