Latham and Conway’s record stand puts New Zealand on top at Trent Bridge
A record opening stand from Tom Latham and Devon Conway left New Zealand on top after day one of the Trent Bridge decider, even as England hit back late.
Jun 26, 2026
New Zealand made the most of a sweltering first day at Trent Bridge, with Tom Latham and Devon Conway batting England out of the series decider before a late cluster of wickets gave the hosts something to hold onto. The Black Caps closed on 361 for 4, built almost entirely on an opening stand of 317 that rewrote the record books.
Latham made 151 and Conway 157, and for long stretches of a day played under a Met Office red heat warning it was hard to see where England’s first wicket would come from. It eventually arrived in the 73rd over. By then the game had already drifted a long way from Ben Stokes and his bowlers.
A stand for the history books
Latham won the toss and chose to bat, and he and Conway simply refused to give England an opening. Their partnership of 317 is now the highest New Zealand have managed for any wicket against England, beating the 276 that Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills put together in Wellington back in 1930.
It was also the second time the pair have gone past 300 together at the top of the order. They added 323 at Mount Maunganui in December, so this was not a one-off. Conway was the more fluent of the two early on, while Latham anchored, and both moved to centuries without ever looking rushed on a pitch that offered the bowlers very little before tea.
England’s late fightback
England had toiled through 72 overs for nothing before the breakthrough finally came, and it was the captain who made it. Stokes had Latham caught behind by Jamie Smith to finish with figures of 1 for 57, and an over later Conway holed out in the deep off Joe Root, who picked up 1 for 7.
Once the breakthrough came, the mood changed completely. Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer struck in successive balls to end the day, Rachin Ravindra falling for 7 to a top-edged pull and Henry Nicholls nicking off for 36. Suddenly New Zealand had lost 4 for 44 in a little over 12 overs, and a day that had belonged entirely to the batters ended with England walking off the happier side. Atkinson took 1 for 62 and Archer 1 for 53, while nightwatchman Will O’Rourke saw out the close alongside Daryl Mitchell.
The series on the line
The two sides arrived at Trent Bridge locked at 1-1. England won the opener at Lord’s by 115 runs, before New Zealand levelled with a thumping 253-run victory at the Oval that owed plenty to Matt Henry. Stokes and Atkinson both returned for the decider after sitting out that second Test.
New Zealand have not won a Test at Trent Bridge since 1986, but a day like this one will have them believing another famous series result is on. England will need their batting to answer in kind, and quickly, because 361 for 4 on a flat surface is the sort of position that can swallow a side whole if the wickets dry up again on day two.