New Zealand's Devon Conway, right, leaves the pitch at close of play on 136 runs, with batting partner New Zealand's Henry Nicholls. Photo / AP
New Zealand's Devon Conway, right, leaves the pitch at close of play on 136 runs, with batting partner New Zealand's Henry Nicholls. Photo / AP
The opening day of the first test between England and the Black Caps at Lord's was clearly Devon Conway's day.
Conway became the 12th New Zealander to score a century on debut and just the sixth from any nation to do it at the Home of Cricket as he batted through the opening day to finish on 136 not out.
Late in the day, he passed Kane Williamson's record for the highest score by a New Zealander on debut away from home (131) and has his eyes on more runs later tonight as the Black Caps look to build on their strong start of 246 for three at stumps.
Henry Nicholls (46 not out) and Conway have put on 132 for the fourth wicket to put New Zealand in control.
Conway said it was a special moment to come off the field and greet his teammates.
"A very good feeling. I'll probably have some time to let that settle in. Naturally as a player, the job's not done, but very happy though," Conway said at the end of play.
He said it means a lot to get his name on the famed Lord's honours board which has been in his thoughts in the lead-up to the first test after learning he would make his debut two three ago.
"I had a conversion with Kane Williamson a couple of days ago and I asked him 'what's it like to be on the honours board?' and the first thing he said to me was 'now you know'.
The 29-year-old moved to New Zealand from South Africa in 2017 and became eligible for the Black Caps last season. He has since played 14 Twenty20s and three ODIs and remarkably almost has a century in all three formats so quickly into his international career.
Devon Conway raises his bat after reaching 100 on debut. Photo / AP
He made 99 not out in a Twenty20 against Australia this summer before reaching his debut century in just his third ODI against Bangladesh.
"Just getting a test debut, a chance to play at this level. I'm very grateful for the opportunities that Wellington have given me back home and the Black Caps now.
"To have that opportunity is a pretty special feeling and certainly didn't think about that [a century on debut] when I made the move [to New Zealand]."
In terms of batting on, Jimmy Neesham (137*), Hamish Rutherford (171) and Mathew Sinclair (214) sit ahead of him for highest scores by a New Zealander on test debut.
Devon Conway - First player to score a century at Lord's on the very first day of Test career. #ENGvNZ
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) June 2, 2021
Conway's day
136 off 240 balls.
Conway, the 281st New Zealand test cricketer, became the 12th to score a century on debut.
He is the 14th of his compatriots to score a 100 at Lord's - Martin Crowe did it twice - and just the sixth player to score a century on debut at the Marylebone Cricket Club - England's Matt Prior was the last in 2007.
