Devon Conway and Tom Latham struck their second centuries of the match, sharing a commanding 192-run opening stand as New Zealand declared their second innings at 306/2 and set the West Indies a daunting 462-run target on Day 4 of the third and final Test at the Bay Oval on Sunday.
In the 16 overs possible before stumps, the West Indies reached 43 without loss, surviving the final hour. With three sessions remaining, they face the stiff challenge of scoring 418 more runs with all 10 wickets in hand on a surface beginning to show cracks and variable bounce.
Conway Makes History, Latham Matches Him Stride For Stride
The day firmly belonged to Devon Conway, who etched his name into the record books by becoming the first New Zealand batter to score a double century and a century in the same Test. After his majestic 227 in the first innings, Conway followed it up with a composed 100 off 139 balls.
Latham was equally influential. Having already scored a century in the first innings, the New Zealand skipper brought up his second hundred of the match, finishing with 101 off 139 deliveries. Together, the pair once again laid a rock-solid foundation at the top.
The opening duo added 192 runs for the first wicket, taking the game decisively away from the visitors and allowing New Zealand to dictate terms ahead of a well-timed declaration.
West Indies’ First Innings Wrapped Up Quickly
Earlier in the day, West Indies resumed from their overnight score of 381/6 but made little progress. Despite Shai Hope being fit enough to bat, the visitors lost momentum early as Jacob Duffy dismissed him in the fourth over of the morning.
Ajaz Patel and Michael Rae cleaned up the tail efficiently, with Jayden Seales and Kemar Roach departing in quick succession. West Indies were eventually bowled out for 420, conceding a 155-run first-innings lead.
Kavem Hodge was the standout performer for the tourists, compiling a resilient 123 not out off 275 balls, a knock that held the innings together amid regular wickets.
New Zealand Pile On The Pressure
Conway and Latham resumed New Zealand’s dominance immediately after the visitors were dismissed. Batting with assurance and fluency, the pair punished loose deliveries and ran hard between the wickets, stretching the lead to 190 runs by the end of the second session.
New Zealand scored 157 runs in the session, with Conway reaching his milestone shortly before tea. He was eventually dismissed just after the break when Jayden Seales took a sharp catch at deep mid-wicket off Kavem Hodge.
Latham followed soon after reaching three figures, again falling to the Hodge–Seales combination. Kane Williamson (40*) and Rachin Ravindra (46*) then accelerated, prompting Latham to call for the declaration and set West Indies a towering target.
Windies Survive The Final Hour, But Challenge Looms Large
John Campbell and Brandon King negotiated the final session with care, ensuring West Indies did not lose a wicket before stumps. King, continuing his good form, played with fluent strokeplay, while Campbell focused on defence as the visitors closed at 43/0.
While victory appears unlikely, a draw remains a realistic objective for the West Indies if they can bat long on Day 5. New Zealand, however, will back themselves to exploit the wearing surface and force a result that would secure a 2–0 series win. A West Indies victory, though improbable, would level the series at 1–1 after the opening Test in Christchurch ended in a draw.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 575/8d & 306/2d (54 overs) (Tom Latham 101, Devon Conway 100; Kavem Hodge 2–80) West Indies: 420 all out (128.2 overs) & 43/0 (16 overs) (Kavem Hodge 123*, Brandon King 63; Jacob Duffy 4–86, Ajaz Patel 3–113) New Zealand lead by 418 runs.
