Conway’s 178* and Latham’s 137 put the West Indies on the backfoot in Mount Maunganui

New Zealand had made the uncharacteristic decision of batting first at home, which turned out to be a success. Towards the end of the day, the team had piled 334 to 1. Devon Conway and Tom Latham were both instrumental in putting New Zealand in a dominant position at the end of the first day. Their centuries were constructed on long suffering disciplined batting, which aggravated the bowlers of the West Indies and made them seek solutions.

In and out of form in the recent matches, Conway demonstrated why he is a mainstay in the top order of New Zealand. His 178 runs were a masterpiece in batting on a ground that initially provided some movement. In all this, Latham showed the composure of a veteran opener. His 137 was the textbook example of good technique, of playing as close to the body as possible, and playing upon gaps in the field.

The decision of New Zealand to bat was an inspired decision. It was some grass in the beginning, which could have favored the fast bowlers, but the bowlers failed to translate those conditions. When Conway and Latham settled down, it became apparent that the pitch was not as difficult as initially believed. The pair did not waste the chance, and they established a formidable partnership that ruled the day.

Latham’s calmness and Conway’s comeback

Latham’s 15th Test Century was the historic one, after which he overtook 6,000 runs as an opener. The move by New Zealand to bat as dictated by the instinct of Latham has paid off despite the fact that the country has been in the tradition of bowling after winning the toss.

Latham was in complete control the entire day, displaying solid defense and aggressive stroke play. His 137-run innings lasted nearly 6 hours, and bowlers of the West Indies were frustrated by his textbook technique and gap-batting skills.

Meanwhile, Conway, who had been out of form in recent matches, found his rhythm. Having undergone close bowling, he stood the early times and then added pace. With a difficult pitch and cramps, Conway hit 178 and displayed strength when he managed to hold on, and the bowlers lost strength.

During which he had not scored 30 runs in 26 of his last 39 innings. Conway was playing today with the newfound freedom, and it gave him the second-highest score in Test cricket.

West Indies’ missed chances and frustrations

WI wished to win the first Test series in New Zealand in 30 years, but they were not able to take advantage of the good conditions. Although the pitch initially favored the bowlers, Conway and Latham settled in quickly, with fewer opportunities for breaks.

The third seamer (Anderson Phillip) started well but lacked consistency, finishing with figures of 14-2-71-0. When Latham pushed a ball into the wicket behind, and the catch was dropped, he had a golden chance, though.

Jayden Seales attempted to alter the tempo by bowling short-pitched deliveries, as Neil Wagner did. Even after the rain break, however, West Indies could not build pressure.

Despite an injury to his hand, Conway continued to dominate and even struck a boundary off a loose delivery from Roston Chase. The pitch that was meant to support fast bowlers became less helpful over the course of the day, which gave New Zealand an opportunity to end with a dominant score.

West Indies’ lack of discipline and New Zealand’s dominance

The bowlers were also disciplined, which was one of the distinct differences on Day 1. While the West Indies bowlers could be brilliant at times, they failed to consistently hit the correct length, and Conway and Latham were able to form alliances and dominate the game.

They also lacked discipline in the field, and opportunities were wasted. The dropped catch, especially that of Latham, was a missed opportunity, and the bowlers felt the impact of the miss as Latham continued to score.