Latham played a captain’s knock in every sense. After calling correctly at the toss, he marched to his 17th test century – arguably the best of his career given the context of the series – to go level with Martin Crowe on New Zealand’s all-time list.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway both scored centuries on day one of the third test between the Black Caps and England, in Nottingham. Photo / Photosport
Only Kane Williamson (33) and Ross Taylor (19) have scored more test centuries for New Zealand than Latham.
He was ably supported by Conway, who scored his eighth ton in whites, as personal vindication after his preparation for the second test was hampered by an around-the-world trip home to New Zealand and back again to attend the birth of his second child.
The pair were both given lives – Latham on 129 when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, and Conway on 71 when England failed to review an LBW shout off Shoaib Bashir – and made the hosts pay, and added their second triple-century stand after doing the same against the West Indies at the end of 2025.
Daryl Mitchell and nightwatchman Will O’Rourke will resume on day two, as the Black Caps look to bat England out of the contest.
Latham’s opposite, Stokes, appeared bereft of ideas as captain, as speculation over his tenure as England skipper has only intensified in the past two weeks.
Further hurting England’s cause, fast bowler Josh Tongue limped off the field before stumps, clutching a hamstring.
And while this test won’t take shape until after both sides have batted, New Zealand’s openers have given England a lot to do if they’re to push to win this series over the coming days.
Needing a good start in excellent batting conditions, Latham and Conway raised their first 100 runs in the morning session alone, needing only 157 balls to record 108-0 at lunch.
Despite an edge through gully on eight, Latham was positive throughout the morning, and reached his half-century in 65 balls, with only four boundaries, and instead relied on exemplary running between the wickets.
Conway made the statement of the morning by greeting Stokes’ first over with a perfect straight drive, and reached his own fifty in the first over after the break – his taking 91 balls with eight boundaries.
Tom Latham celebrates reaching his century on day one of the third test between the Black Caps and England in Nottingham. Photo / Photosport
Once the openers returned in the afternoon, the runs continued to flow.
As Latham pushed into the covers to take the score past 185, he and Conway overtook John Wright and Trevor Franklin’s opening stand as New Zealand’s best in England, 36 years ago, as the class of 2026 both moved into the 90s.
Latham raised milestones in successive balls; first by cutting Stokes behind square on the off-side for the 200 opening partnership, and then flicked off his pads to the deep backward square leg boundary to get to his century, in 149 deliveries.
At the other end, Conway went to tea on 94, but effortlessly negotiated Shoaib Bashir in the evening with back-to-back boundaries to bring up triple figures from 174 balls.
The innings’ first six, hit by Conway when he sent Bashir over long-on, en route to the 250 partnership being raised by Latham in the 61st over. For good measure, Conway celebrated that milestone with six more over deep square leg, as the pair reached 276-0 to surpass Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills’ previous record, scored in 1930.
Devon Conway celebrates his century on day one of the third test between the Black Caps and England. Photo / Photosport
A Conway single into the covers raised the triple-century stand, as a Joe Root full toss was pushed down the ground to bring up his 150 in 210 balls. Latham followed not long after, as a dab into the covers saw him raise his bat for the third time of the day, getting there in 211 balls.
Neither could reach the end of play, as Latham perished caught behind off Stokes, before Conway joined him one over later when he holed out to long-on off Root, as 317-0 became 361-4 as Rachin Ravindra (7) and Henry Nicholls (36) couldn’t survive until stumps.
New Zealand 361-4 (Conway 157, Latham 151; Root 1-7)
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.