A Test Match bow at Lord’s is a fine achievement, but New Zealand’s Devon Conway secured the ultimate debut scoring a double-hundred, and making the seventh highest score in history in a player’s first Test.
He also became only the sixth player to score a century on their Test debut at the Home of Cricket – and his innings of 200 was the 16th highest ever knock at the Ground.
The feat took place as England faced New Zealand in the opening international match of the 2021 summer.
Conway followed in the footsteps of Harry Graham, John Hampshire, Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior in reaching three figures on the first occasion that they walked out through the Long Room in a Test. He also became the 12th New Zealander to make a century on Test debut.
The South African-born left-hander had already made an impressive start to his international career, making a century in his third One-Day International against Bangladesh in Wellington three months earlier.
Conway went to his century at Lord’s, which was hosting international cricket for the first time since 2019, in 163 balls and hit 11 fours as he starred against England’s four-man seam attack and gave the Kiwis an excellent platform on the opening day of the first Test of the summer.
His double-ton came from 347 deliveries before he was run out at the non-striker’s end as New Zealand looked to eek as many runs out of the innings as they could.