Conway & Latham's 323-Run Opening Stand: A Masterclass in Batting

The opener says it was a collective decision to bat first on a green pitch. After New Zealand won the toss in the third Test against the West Indies at Mount Maunganui, they chose to bat first on a pitch that had a green tinge, a decision that was made collectively. 

Devon Conway, speaking after his monumental 323-run opening partnership with Tom Latham, shared the team's goal: "The goal was to 'bat big, bat well, and give our bowlers an opportunity to bowl in the fourth innings." 

Latham was sent home at 137 before the close, and Conway was at 178 without being beaten. New Zealand ended Day 1 at 334 for 1.

New Zealand decided to open the batting on a green pitch, something not done on the domestic front since 2011. Conway has talked of the mental preparation that led to that decision: "Once we made the decision that we were going to go with Jazzy [Ajaz Patel], we decided that we were collectively going to have a bat first. Mentally, I really knew that we were going to bat. It was a guaranteed bat day because I had a feeling that they would have seen a green wicket, and with the make-up of their bowling attack, they probably wanted to bowl first."

Fighting through the Early Challenges

The first 15-20 overs saw the West Indies bowlers moving the ball sharply and keeping Conway and Latham on their toes. Conway admitted to battling early on: "In the first 15-20 overs, they seemed to be bowling in really good areas and moving the ball quite a lot. I was constantly fighting myself throughout that first hour. Funny enough, I spoke to Tom Latham at lunch, and I said I almost felt like I forgot how to bat after that first hour… Just everything felt really awkward."

However, the conditions changed as the day went on, allowing the openers to settle in. Conway explained, "The ball got a little bit softer, a little bit older, and the wicket actually sped up a little bit. It offered up some good scoring opportunities for me and Tom." Conway hit an impressive 25 fours, finding rhythm and scoring freely after lunch. "I just try to remind myself to play with freedom, play with a positive mindset, and keep looking to score," he added.

Conway Reflects on Pressure and his Role as an Opener

Having struggled to cross 30 runs in two-thirds of his last 39 innings, Conway has faced pressure due to his recent form. But he remained focused on his role in the team: "I just try and remind myself to just keep doing that, and don't worry about the runs. Just keep focusing on doing a job for the team and doing a role. I'm pretty happy that it turned over for me today, but I've just got to keep focusing on being present and just, as I say, doing a role for the team."

The challenges of opening the batting are not lost on Conway. He commented on the often-underappreciated role of openers: "[Opening] is a very underappreciated job around the world, not just here. Yeah, it has been a tough ride. Quite often you rock up day one of a Test match and you see it's pretty green."

Acknowledging Latham's Contributions

Conway also took time to acknowledge the role of his opening partner, Tom Latham. "A lot of credit needs to go to a guy like Tom Latham, who's played 90-odd Tests, and he's done so well. I think he's scored his 15th Test century, and a lot of those centuries have been here in New Zealand," said Conway. Latham's solid performance, which included his 137, played a crucial part in the team's success.

Conway’s highest Test score remains the double-century he scored on debut against England at Lord's. With just 22 more runs needed to cross that milestone, Conway remains focused on the present: "I think if you look too far ahead, particularly when you're batting, you can get yourself in trouble. It's very important for us as a batting group to keep putting [West Indies bowlers] under pressure. Bat for a long period of time because that wicket is going to get flatter, and it will give our spinners an opportunity to do a role later in the Test."

Looking Ahead to Day 2

For Conway, his approach for the next day of play remains simple: "I just want to go out there, stay in the process ball by ball, and just keep doing my thing, building a partnership with others at the other end."