New Zealand’s Tom Latham and Devon Conway set a new record on the first day of the third Test at Trent Bridge, breaking a century-old milestone. England’s Ben Stokes, back in action after a hiatus, led a late resurgence as the Black Caps ended the day at 361-4 in a series tied at 1-1.
Despite a strong start at 317-0, New Zealand faced a setback losing four wickets for 44 runs. Latham scored 151 and Conway 157 before both were dismissed in the final session. Their partnership of 276 runs surpassed the previous record set in 1930 by Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills against England.
Stokes made a crucial breakthrough for England by dismissing Latham, followed by Conway’s wicket to Joe Root. New Zealand’s strong position was slightly shaken as Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls fell quickly towards the end of the day.
Conway expressed satisfaction with their performance, highlighting the favorable batting conditions. England’s bowling coach Tim Southee acknowledged the challenges of Test cricket but praised his team’s perseverance.
Conway’s century, achieved with remarkable strokes, and Latham’s solid performance propelled New Zealand to a strong position before the late wickets. Despite some missed opportunities by England, the day belonged to the Black Caps as they aim to take the lead in the series.
