MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — Tom Latham made the rare decision to bat first on winning the toss Thursday then joined Devon Conway to steer New Zealand to 83 without loss at lunch on the first day of the third test against the West Indies.
Conway was 42 and Latham was 39 at the break, having survived 28 overs in the first session.
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The last time New Zealand batted first by choice in a home test was in 2011, an indication of the usual bowl-first nature of New Zealand pitches.
But Latham looked at a pitch carpeted in grass and still made the decision to pad up and bat.
In a television interview Latham noted that the pitch at Bay Oval tends to favor spin bowlers last a test match and New Zealand now avoids the need to bat last.
New Zealand named off spinner Ajaz Patel to play his first test in five years. While Patel became only the third player to take 10 wickets in a test innings when he achieved the feat against India in India in 2021, he seldom is a first choice at home.
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There was a little life in the pitch early Thursday and Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales both bowled excellent first spells with the new ball. Roach bowled six overs for 12 runs and Seales five overs for 10 runs.
Both took the ball away from the left-handers, enticing Conway especially with balls that arced away outside off stump.
But Latham and Conway played with restraint early on. When the opportunity presented itself, both played well through cover and Conway also found the boundary behind point.
New Zealand leads the three-match series 1-0 after the first test was drawn and the Black Caps won the second by nine wickets.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
