Tom Latham and Devon Conway produced a record 317-run opening stand before four late wickets gave England a narrow route back into the third Test.
New Zealand took command of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge after Tom Latham and Devon Conway delivered a dominant opening-day batting display, sharing a 317-run partnership that left the hosts chasing the game before a late flurry of wickets restored some balance.
By stumps, New Zealand had reached 361 for four, a position built almost entirely on the authority and patience of their left-handed openers. Latham made 151 and Conway 157, punishing an England attack that struggled for movement and rhythm on a flat Nottingham surface.
The partnership was New Zealand’s highest opening stand against England, surpassing a record that had stood since 1930. It was also a powerful statement from two batters who entered the match under different forms of pressure. Latham had endured a quiet series before this innings, while Conway used the occasion to reassert his class after a difficult period with the bat.
England’s bowlers spent much of the day searching for answers. The conditions offered little assistance, and the New Zealand openers were quick to exploit width, tired lines and missed opportunities. Shoaib Bashir endured a difficult spell, while England also chose not to review a strong lbw appeal against Conway when he was on 71. Replays suggested the decision could have changed the shape of the day.
The hosts’ frustration grew when wicketkeeper Jamie Smith later dropped Latham on 129, allowing the New Zealand captain to extend his innings and deepen England’s problems. At that stage, the visitors looked capable of batting the home side completely out of the match before the close.
But England found a response in the final session. Ben Stokes, returning to the side, made the breakthrough by removing Latham, who edged behind after more than two sessions of control. Conway followed soon after, caught in the deep off Joe Root, and suddenly the momentum shifted.
The second new ball brought further reward. Gus Atkinson dismissed Rachin Ravindra, while Jofra Archer struck with the final ball of the day to remove Henry Nicholls for 36. Those late wickets lifted England’s mood and prevented New Zealand from ending the day in total command.
Even so, the tourists remain in a strong position. With the series level and the pitch expected to become more challenging as the match develops, New Zealand’s first-day total gives them a valuable platform. England, meanwhile, must now turn a modest late recovery into a sustained fightback.
The opening day belonged to Latham and Conway, whose partnership combined discipline, timing and ruthlessness. England’s late wickets ensured the contest is not yet beyond them, but after being made to toil for most of the day, the hosts will know that day two must begin with immediate pressure.
