Nottingham: New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway etched their names into the record books with a historic partnership against England on the opening day of the third Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

The experienced duo put on a remarkable 317-run opening stand, the highest-ever partnership for any wicket by New Zealand against England in Test cricket. This feat surpassed the previous record of 276 runs set by Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills in Wellington back in 1930, ending a 96-year-old milestone.

At stumps, New Zealand were strongly placed at 361 for 4, although England managed to claw their way back into the contest with a late burst of wickets.

Record-breaking stand puts England on the back foot

After winning the toss under hot and batting-friendly conditions, New Zealand captain Tom Latham opted to bat first — a decision that paid rich dividends.

Latham and Conway made full use of the favourable pitch conditions, displaying patience, precision and control against England’s bowling attack. The pair negotiated the new ball comfortably and gradually built momentum, putting the hosts under sustained pressure.

Latham led from the front with a composed 151, bringing up his 17th Test century in 95 matches. Conway, equally impressive, scored a fluent 157, marking his eighth Test hundred in just 36 matches.

Their partnership was particularly significant given their modest returns earlier in the series, where they had failed to build substantial stands. However, at Trent Bridge, they delivered a near-flawless performance that dominated the first two sessions of play.

By tea, New Zealand had reached 213 without loss, with both batters firmly in control and eyeing even bigger milestones.

England fight back after tea

England’s fortunes changed in the final session, largely due to the return of skipper Ben Stokes. Playing his first match since missing the second Test, Stokes provided the crucial breakthrough that sparked a collapse.

Latham, who had been dropped earlier on 129, eventually edged a delivery from Stokes to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who made no mistake this time. The dismissal ended the monumental opening stand and gave England a much-needed boost.

In the very next over, Conway fell for 157, attempting an aggressive shot off Joe Root but finding a substitute fielder at long-on. This triggered a mini-collapse as New Zealand lost quick wickets.

Rachin Ravindra departed cheaply after skying a catch, while Henry Nicholls, fresh from a century in the previous Test, was dismissed for 36 off the final ball of the day.

From a commanding 317 for no loss, New Zealand slipped to 361 for 4, giving England a glimmer of hope heading into Day 2.

Missed chances prove costly for England

England will rue missed opportunities earlier in the day that allowed New Zealand to build such a dominant position.

Latham was dropped on 129 when Jamie Smith failed to hold onto a routine chance, while Conway also survived an early scare when a mistimed shot just evaded Joe Root in the field.

These lapses proved expensive, as both batters capitalised fully to post big scores and take the game away from England for most of the day.

Conway reflects on strong performance

Speaking after the day’s play, Conway expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance while acknowledging the late setbacks.

“We knew the wicket was going to be quite nice. It was important for us to put pressure on the bowling,” Conway said.

“It’s a little disappointing to lose a couple of wickets towards the end, but we still have a lot of batting left and hopefully we can push on tomorrow.”

Conclusion: New Zealand in control despite late wickets

Despite losing four wickets in the final session, New Zealand remain firmly in control of the Test match. The record-breaking partnership between Latham and Conway has laid a solid foundation for a big first-innings total.

England, on the other hand, will take confidence from their late fightback and will look to build on that momentum on Day 2.

With the three-match series level at 1-1, the outcome of this Test will be decisive, setting up an exciting contest over the coming days.