New Zealand duo claim WTC best with record-breaking stand

New Zealand pair Tom Latham and Devon Conway have broken the record previously held by India duo Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal for the highest opening partnership since the inception of the ICC World Test Championship.

The opening duo combined to put on 323 for the first wicket, with skipper Latham (137) scoring his 15th Test century and Conway (178*) his sixth as the Black Caps dominated proceedings as they put the West Indies' bowlers to the sword in Mount Maunganui.

Latham fell late on the opening day to veteran West Indies quick Kemar Roach (1/63), with night-watcher Jacob Duffy (9*)* joining Conway at the crease as the hosts finished in control of the third Test at 334/1*.

You have to go back to April of 1972 to find the last time New Zealand's openers scored more than 300 for the opening wicket at Test level, with Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis putting on 387 for the first wicket – the highest opening partnership for New Zealand – also against the West Indies in Guyana.

While Latham and Conway couldn't surpass this New Zealand record, they did manage to finish with the equal 12th best in the history of Test cricket and claim the record for the highest since the World Test Championship commenced in 2019.

Rohit and Agarwal had previously held the record since they put on 317 for the opening wicket against South Africa in Visakhapatnam back in 2019, with Latham and Conway sneaking past the mark just prior to stumps to mark a dominant day for New Zealand.

Series schedule:

First Test: December 2-6, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (Match Drawn)
Second Test: December 10-14, Basin Reserve, Wellington
Third Test: December 18-22, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui