For the second time in four days, Devon Conway and Tom Latham appeared to have batted West Indies out of the contest. And yet, once again, West Indies found a measure of resistance through their openers, as Brandon King and John Campbell saw out the day unbeaten to keep faint hopes alive after New Zealand set a daunting target of 462.
Conway and Latham continued their dominance with another commanding opening stand, adding 192 in New Zealand’s second innings on a pitch offering uneven and deceptive bounce. Having already put on 323 together in the first innings, the pair made history by becoming the first opening partnership in first-class cricket to score centuries in both innings of the same match. Their efforts, combined with a whirlwind 72-run stand off just 37 balls between Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra, pushed West Indies firmly onto the back foot.
New Zealand’s authority was established earlier in the day when they dismissed West Indies for 420, securing a 155-run first-innings lead. Kavem Hodge, who finished unbeaten on a career-best 123, was central to West Indies’ resistance and later chipped in with the only two wickets of the second innings, removing both Conway and Latham with the help of outstanding boundary riding from Jayden Seales.
The pitch remained unpredictable throughout. Some deliveries skidded alarmingly low while others leapt off a length, creating uncomfortable moments for batters on both sides. Jacob Duffy exploited that variation early, removing Anderson Phillip with extra bounce and then Shai Hope, who top-edged a pull despite having already endured a difficult match following a bout of food poisoning.
Seales showed grit with the bat as West Indies’ tail tried to stretch the innings, but once Ajaz Patel cleaned him up, the end came swiftly. Kemar Roach, who had been injured earlier in the match, briefly came out but edged off almost immediately to bring the innings to a close.
New Zealand’s second innings began cautiously, with Conway and Latham respecting the movement and bounce on offer. Conway soon found his rhythm, unfurling elegant drives through the off side and using his feet decisively against spin. He reached his half-century in just 63 balls and later became the first New Zealand batter to score a double-century and a hundred in the same Test.
Latham, initially watchful, gradually expanded his range with sweeps and confident footwork, accelerating after tea and eventually reaching his 16th Test hundred. Both openers fell to miscued attacking shots off Hodge, each dismissal requiring sharp catching from Seales in the deep.
Williamson’s contribution was uncharacteristically frenetic, as he struggled for fluency while experimenting with reverse sweeps, yet still managed a brisk 40. Ravindra, by contrast, looked far more comfortable, lifting the spinners cleanly over the leg side to maintain momentum.
Facing a mountainous chase, West Indies once again turned to King and Campbell, who had laid a solid foundation in the first innings. King was positive early, racing ahead with crisp off-side strokes, while Campbell took time to settle. As the ball softened and spin came into play, both batters tightened their approach and safely negotiated the closing overs.
By stumps, West Indies were unscathed but still 419 runs from victory. While the challenge ahead remains immense, beginning the final day with all ten wickets intact offers a sliver of belief. After repeated setbacks in the match, King and Campbell ensured that West Indies, at least, will fight on.
