Conway registers highest Test score by men's Test debutant in England
Jun 03, 2021
London [UK], June 3 : New Zealand opening batsman Devon Conway on Thursday registered the highest score by a men's Test debutant in England. He achieved the feat on Day Two of the first Test being played at the Lord's Cricket Ground. The left-handed batsman is still unbeaten at the crease and he has reached the score of 162.
England's KS Ranjitsinhji earlier held the record as had scored 154 runs on his debut against Australia way back in 1896. England's WG Grace was second on the list as he had registered 152 runs on his debut against Australia in 1880.
New Zealand opener Conway might have impressed with his gutsy ton on Test debut, but the batsman has said the thought of scoring a hundred in his first match in the longest format never crossed his mind.
Riding on the debutant's ton, New Zealand marched to a strong position against England on Day One of the ongoing first Test here on Wednesday.
"That [scoring a century on debut] never came across my mind. Just getting a Test debut, a chance to play at this level, was all I thought about," ESPNcricinfo quoted Conway as saying.
"Very happy, grateful for the opportunity from Cricket Wellington and also the Black Caps as well. A pretty special feeling, and one I certainly didn't think about when I made that move," he added.
Conway also revealed skipper Kane Williamson's first words to him when he walked back to the dressing after an eventual first day against England. "When we arrived at Lord's a couple of days ago we walked into the changing room and got the opportunity to have a look at all the legends and the names up on that honours board," said Conway.
Conway became the sixth cricketer to hit a Test ton on his debut at Lord's and also broke former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly's record at the venue. 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 the opening day.
