Conway, Latham put New Zealand in command

(ESPNCRICINFO) – Devon Conway and Tom Latham added 165 unbeaten runs in New Zealand’s highest opening stand in Tests in Pakistan – they went past the previous best of 136 set way back in 1965 – as the hosts toiled hard on a Karachi pitch which seemed to have eased out enough for steady run-scoring.

It was mostly a chanceless partnership throughout; the fact that Babar Azam himself came on to roll his arm over as stumps approached was an indication of how dominant was the batting and how ineffective the bowling was, having also bowled the final over before tea. New Zealand’s deficit was down to 273 after Agha Salman’s maiden Test century earlier in the day had pushed Pakistan to 438.

On the way to an undefeated 82, Conway also became the fastest New Zealand batter to 1000 Test runs, getting there in 19 innings. Although both he and his partner are both left-handed, they present entirely different problems for bowlers when they’re at the crease together.

As if to exemplify this fact, on Tuesday, both of them scored the exact same proportion of their runs – one-third – in diametrically opposite directions. Conway in the arc between point and long-off and Latham between fine leg and midwicket.

Pakistan started the evening session with spin from both ends, as Nauman Ali aimed for the rough outside the batters’ off stump, while Abrar Ahmed mixed things up with his variations. And though there was enough turn to keep things interesting, with the odd ball scuttling through at ankle-height, the breakthrough they were striving so hard for never came.

Conway often took a big stride forward to smother the spin, and even used the reverse sweep to hit two boundaries, while also driving and slashing each time the bowlers went too full or too wide. Latham, on the other hand, relied on the conventional sweep and the flick, getting 40 of his 78 runs through those shots.

Pakistan could have broken the partnership at 105 in the 31st over when Conway inside-edged a ball from Nauman through to the wicketkeeper. Except it all looked very innocuous and seemed like the right decision was made when the umpire ruled not-out. After all, Sarfaraz Ahmed was the only one to appeal – and even that was half-hearted. But then came the replays which showed evidence of a nick.