England v New Zealand 3rd Test Day 1: Record 317 Opening Stand as New Zealand Dominate at Trent Bridge

The Story of the Match

THE first day of the 3rd Rothesay Test Match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham belonged to New Zealand who made England's bowlers toil with the ball in temperatures of 35 degrees after winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

New Zealand batters showed why they are 4th in the World Test Cricket Championship with England languishing in 7th only two above bottom placed West Indies.

New Zealand openers Tom Latham the skipper and Devon Conway put the tourists in the driving seat with a commanding opening 1st wicket partnership of 317 as the pair batted for 72.1 overs before England took the first wicket.

Tom Latham cried out "no" as he edged Ben Stokes to Jamie Smith and the New Zealand captain was caught behind for 151 runs from 214 balls with fifteen boundary 4's as the tourists lost their first wicket at 317 for 1 after 72.1 overs.

New Zealand lost their 2nd wicket at 319 when Devon Conway was out for 157 runs from 224 balls with three boundary 6's and twenty-two boundary 4's when he was caught at wide mid on by substitute fielder Matt Fisher off the bowling of Joe Root. Suddenly, the score went from 317 for 0 to 319 for 2! New Zealand surpassed 352 runs in a day in a Test Match in England which was their previous best on day 2 at Lord's in 1958.

England took two late wickets as Rachin Ravindra was the 3rd wicket at 361 for 3 after 84 overs when he edged the ball to Jamie Smith off the bowling of Gus Atkinson and was out for 7 runs from 22 balls with one boundary 4.

Then Henry Nicholls was caught behind by Jamie Smith off Jofra Archer for 36 from 48 balls with six boundary 4's when the total was 361 for 4 from 84.1 overs when play ended. Will O'Rourke was 0 not out at the fall of the 4th wicket.

England welcomed back captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson after the Chelsea night club incident for the 3rd Rothesay Test Match which started at Trent Bridge in the leafy Nottingham suburb of West Bridgford yesterday in sweltering conditions.

England made four team changes whilst New Zealand made three team changes for the last Test of the three match series with the Test level at 1-1 coming into the Trent Bridge Test Match.

Other changes from the KIA Oval 2nd Test for England were the inclusion of Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir. England replaced James Rew with Jamie Smith behind the stumps as wicketkeeper, Gus Atkinson came in for Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir came in for Jordan Cox and Matt Fisher was replaced by Ben Stokes. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first.

New Zealand made three team changes from the KIA Oval Test victory. Out went Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry both ruled out due to niggles and Kyle Jamieson was rested so the tourists brought in Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears and Blair Tickner.

New Zealand opened the batting with captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway. Gus Atkinson opened the bowling from the Stuart Broad End of the famous ground where the newly refurbished and magnificent new Trent Bridge pavilion which had been given a major make over internally and externally over the last 18 months looked rather impressive.

Jofra Archer took the new ball with Atkinson and he opened the bowling from the Radcliffe Road End of the ground. New Zealand wore black armbands in memory of Bob Blair the former New Zealand bowler who had passed away since the last Test.

Shoaib Bashir came on with New Zealand 45 for 0 from 10 Overs. It was the first time Bashir had bowled in a Test Match for over a year. Bashir has a good record in Tests at Trent Bridge so it was no surprise Ben Stokes brought him into the attack to bowl and rest his four seamers with it being a very hot day.

Shoaib Bashir has taken 16 wickets, with two 5 wicket hauls at Trent Bridge which is an amazing record so early in his Test career. Only legendary Australian spin bowlers Shane Warne and Clarrie Grimmett have a better record at Nottingham than Bashir.

New Zealand reached their 50 runs after 10.5 overs. Tom Latham and Devon Conway moved the score along nicely with Tom Latham achieving his 50 runs from 65 balls with four boundary 4's. Devon Conway brought up the New Zealand 100 for the loss of no wicket when Conway drove Ben Stokes for four runs after 26 overs.

At lunch on day 1, New Zealand had taken the total to 108 for 0 from 28 overs with Tom Latham 60 not out from 80 balls with six boundary 4's and Devon Conway 45 not out from 88 balls with seven boundary 4's. England captain Ben Stokes had used five bowlers including himself with Shoaib Bashir doing the bulk of the work with (9-1-30-0) in the opening session of the Test.

After lunch New Zealand continued to make the England bowlers toil in the heat. Devon Conway achieved 50 runs from 91 balls with eight boundary 4's. Latham 70 not out and Conway 71 not out achieved the 150 run partnership for the 1st wicket after 38.2 overs.

During the afternoon session when England bowlers toiled in the heat it reminded one of the opening day of the Ashes 1989 Test at Nottingham when Australia reached 301 for 0 at the close with Geoff Marsh 125 not out and Mark Taylor 141 not out in a match that Australia went onto win by 180 runs. Australia scored 602 for 6 declared England replied with 255 and 167. New Zealand reached the 200 run 1st wicket partnership from 304 balls faced with Latham 99 not out and Conway 92 not out.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham achieved his 100 off 149 balls with ten boundary 4's. At tea after 54 overs New Zealand were 213 for 0 with Tom Latham 109 not out from 162 balls with ten boundary 4's and Devon Conway 94 not out from 165 balls with sixteen boundary 4's. Shoaib Bashir was (16-2-54-0) sharing the bulk of the bowling with his skipper Ben Stokes (11-0-51-0), Atkinson, Archer and Tongue the quicks had only bowled 27 overs between them at the interval.

Stokes captaincy and decision making during the day lacked determination, it was as if he was telling the ECB empty suits it was time for a change - England are 7th out of 9 teams in the World Championship of Cricket 2025-2027 having played 12 Tests losing 7 to New Zealand who were in 4th place having played 5 matches and won 3 Tests.

After tea, Jacob Bethell was introduced as the sixth bowler used but all that did was to assist Devon Conway on taking the left-handed opener into achieving his own century and allow Stokes to swap the bowlers ends.

Devon Conway achieved his 100 from 174 balls with eighteen boundary 4's when the total reached 223 for 0 after 55.5 overs. Joe Root appeared to bring more energy to the fielding than Ben Stokes who lacked ideas to remove the New Zealand openers.

New Zealand achieved 250 partnership for the 1st wicket from 365 balls with Latham 116 not out and Conway 124 not out. At 275 for 0 Jamie Smith dropped Latham off a glove from a delivery by Gus Atkinson when he was 128.

When the 1st wicket partnership reached 280 runs, Latham and Conway passed the 1st wicket record for New Zealand against England of 276 by Stewie Dempster and John Mills at the Basin Reserve Ground, Wellington back in 1930.

The 300 1st wicket partnership came after 67.3 overs at 4.44 runs per over not shabby at all. Latham was 142 not out and Conway 148 not out. Finally, the 69th over was bowled by Joe Root. Devon Conway drove Joe Root for a single to achieve his 150 from 210 balls with three boundary 6's and twenty-two boundary 4's. Tom Latham achieved his 150 from 211 balls with fifteen boundary 4's.

Finally, Tom Latham cried out "no" as he edged Ben Stokes to Jamie Smith and the New Zealand captain was caught behind for 151 runs from 214 balls with fifteen boundary 4's as the tourists lost their first wicket at 317 for 1 after 72.1 overs.

New Zealand lost their 2nd wicket at 319 when Devon Conway was out for 157 from 224 balls with three boundary 6's and twenty-two boundary 4's when he was caught at wide mid on by substitute fielder Matt Fisher off the bowling of Joe Root. Suddenly, the score went from 317 for 0 to 319 for 2 from 73.1 overs.

Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra were then joined at the wicket after the two quick wickets from Stokes and Root. The new ball was taken and the pair added 42 runs. England took two late wickets as Rachin Ravindra was the 3rd wicket at 361 for 3 after 84 overs when he edged the ball to Jamie Smith off the bowling of Gus Atkinson and was out for 7 runs from 22 balls with one boundary 4.

Then Henry Nicholls was caught behind by Jamie Smith off Jofra Archer for 36 from 48 balls with six boundary 4's when the total was 361 for 4 from 84.1 overs when play ended. Will O'Rourke was 0 not out at the fall of the 4th wicket.

Author's Standout Players

• Tom Latham (New Zealand) - Scored a watchful and purposeful 151 from 214 balls with fifteen boundary 4's, sharing a record 317 for the 1st wicket with Conway that beat New Zealand's previous best of 276 against England by Stewie Dempster and John Mills at the Basin Reserve Ground, Wellington back in 1930
• Devon Conway (New Zealand) - New Zealand's other opener scored 157 from 224 balls with three boundary 6's and twenty-two boundary 4's
• Shoaib Bashir (England) - Bowled tirelessly on a sweltering day for figures of 22-2-97-0 without any joy, lacking control of his length and offering too many loose balls which the New Zealand batters took full advantage of during the big 1st wicket partnership of 317

Match Scores

New Zealand 1st innings 361 for 4 from 84.1 overs - Conway 157, Latham 151, Nicholls 36; Root 1 for 7, Archer 1 for 53, Stokes 1 for 57, Atkinson 1 for 62.