Devon Conway became only the 12th player from New Zealand to score a century on debut, on Wednesday (2) at Lord's[/caption]
CONWAY DEBUT RECORDS
* Devon Conway (136 n.o.) becomes 12th player from NZ to score a century on Test debut
* He only became the 6th cricketer to hit a Test ton on his debut at Lord’s
* Conway becomes only the 3rd non-English batsman to score a century on Test debut at Lord’s
* Breaks former Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly’s 1996 record (131) at the venue
* Conway reaches his ton with a six off Robinson
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Harry Graham of Australia is the first-ever debut centurion at Lord’s. Known affectionately as “the Little Dasher”, Graham had been gripped with alcoholism and mental illness before dying in an asylum near Dunedin, New Zealand in 1911, aged 40[/caption]
CENTURIES ON TEST DEBUT AT LORD’S
Key: Player (Country) / Runs / Inns / Opposition / Match started
1. Harry Graham (Aus) 107 2 vs. England 17 Jul 1893
2. John Hampshire (Eng) 107 2 vs. West Indies 26 Jun 1969
3. Sourav Ganguly (Ind) 131 2 vs. England 20 Jun 1996
4. Andrew Strauss (Eng) 112 2 vs. New Zealand 20 May 2004
5. Matt Prior (Eng) 126* 1 vs. West Indies 17 May 2007
6. Devon Conway (NZ) 136** 1 vs. England 2 Jun 2021
* = Not out
** = At stumps on day one of the Test on Wednesday (2)
HIGHEST TEST SCORES ON TEST DEBUT AT LORD’S
Key: Player (Country) / Runs / Inns / Opposition / Match started
1. Devon Conway (NZ) 136** 1 vs. England 2 Jun 2021
2. Sourav Ganguly (India) 131 2 vs. England 20 Jun 1996
3. Matt Prior (Eng) 126* 1 vs. West Indies 17 May 2007
4. Andrew Strauss (Eng) 112 2 vs. New Zealand 20 May 2004
5. Harry Graham (Aus) 107 2 vs. England 17 Jul 1893
6. John Hampshire (Eng) 107 2 vs. West Indies 26 Jun 1969
* = Not out
** = At stumps on day one of the Test on Wednesday (2)
TEST 100S ON DEBUT IN ENG. BY AWAY BATSMEN
Key: Player (Country) / Runs / Inns / Venue / Match started
1. Harry Graham (Aus) 107 2 Lord’s 17 Jul 1893
2. Abbas Baig (India) 112 4 Manchester 23 Jul 1959
3. Dirk Wellham (Aus) 103 3 The Oval 27 Aug 1981
4. Sourav Ganguly (India) 131 2 Lord’s 20 Jun 1996
5. Devon Conway (NZ) 136** 1 Lord’s 2 Jun 2021
** = At stumps on day one of the Test on Wednesday (2)
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Former India Captain Sourav Ganguly scored 131 against England in his debut Test in June 1996. It was the highest score by a Test debutant until Wednesday (2)[/caption]
New Zealand Test cricket opener Devon Conway on Wednesday (2) not only became the sixth cricketer to hit a Test ton on his debut at the Home of Cricket, Lord’s, but also broke former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly’s record at the venue.
Conway achieved the feat on the opening day of the ongoing first Test against England. The left-handed batsman scored an unbeaten 136 as New Zealand marched to a strong position, finishing with a score of 246/3 at end of day one.
Ganguly’s 131 on Lord’s debut in 1996
Ganguly had scored 131 on his Test debut at Lord’s in 1996 which was also the highest score by a player at the venue until Conway scored an unbeaten 136 on Wednesday. Interestingly, Conway and Ganguly also share a birthday of 8 July.
With this ton, Conway became only the third non-English batsman to score a century on Test debut at Lord’s. Australian batsman Harry Graham had scored 107 against England on his Test debut in 1893.
Kiwis in solid position
Meanwhile, in the first Test, New Zealand finished with the score of 246/3 at stumps, with Conway and Henry Nicholls still at the crease on 136 and 46 respectively. Both batsmen have extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 132 runs.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand had got off to a steady start as openers Tom Latham and Conway saw the new ball out and the duo put on 58 runs for the first wicket.
Another debutant Robinson breaks partnership
Finally, the opening stand was broken in the 16th over as Ollie Robinson bowled Latham (23) and this brought Kiwi Skipper Kane Williamson to the middle.
Along with debutant Conway, Williamson ensured that the visitors do not lose any more wickets before the lunch break and the side went into the interval with the score being 85/1.
After lunch
After the lunch break, New Zealand got a big blow as Williamson (13) was clean bowled by James Anderson in the 26th over of the innings.
Ross Taylor next came out to bat and along with Conway, the duo put on 28 runs for the third wicket, but the stand was broken in the 38th over by Robinson as he had Taylor (14) adjudged leg-before wicket, reducing the Kiwis to 114/3.
Conway’s century
Nicholls came out to bat at number five and he along with Conway helped New Zealand to retrieve their innings. The run-scoring was not brisk like the first session, but both batters ensured that Kiwis go into the tea break with seven wickets in hand. At the interval, the Kiwis score read 144/3 with Conway and Nicholls batting at 71 and 10 respectively.
After the tea break, debutant Conway registered his century in the 61st over of the innings and he brought the landmark in style as he dispatched Robinson for a six.
Nicholls and Conway kept England bowlers at bay and the hosts were not able to take any wickets in the final session of Day one.