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Sports correspondent & historian with |
A cricket century is what every batter who walks to the crease aspires to. A double century (or better) is the gold standard that only the best reach in their quest for cricket greatness.
The Bay Oval, which was carved out of scrub and sand two decades ago, provided its seventh double ton in the recently concluded 2025/26 season, in a match that earned a place in ICC cricket history.
When Devon Conway and Tom Latham strode to the middle to face the opening ball of their test match appointment with the West Indies, cricket history was about to be rewritten.
Conway and Latham put on an opening partnership of 321 runs from 520 balls, before TWM Latham was dismissed for 137.
Devon Conway continued his domination of the Windies bowling attack before he was given out LBW, with 227 runs to his name. Conway was a patient person, spending 8 hours 44 minutes in the middle of the Bay Oval.
In New Zealand’s second innings, Latham hit 101 runs, with Conway dismissed for a neat century.
Conway wrote his name into ICC test history, forever, becoming just the 10th batsman to score a double century and century in a match.
They were also the first opening pair to score a century apiece in both innings, and they posted a combined total of 515 runs in the test match.
Remarkably, the Bay Oval has produced three double 200s from just six test matches at the ground.
The Black Caps’ first test in Mount Maunganui, during December 2019, brought England to Blake Park. BJ Watling stroked 205 runs as New Zealand posted 615/9 declared.
Four seasons later, Rachin Ravindra set the highest individual total at the Bay Oval, when he blasted 240 in the home side’s 515 all out against South Africa. Another outstanding performance in the match was Kane Williamson scoring a century in both innings in his hometown.
Local cricket fans have to wind back the clock to the 2013/14 season to locate the first 200+ at the Bay Oval. Northern Districts and Bay of Plenty top order batter, Joe Carter, punished Poverty Bay with 215 runs in the Bay’s outright victory.
Devon Conway’s double century last season was matched by Northern Districts’ Henry Cooper’s 206 not out against Auckland in a Plunket Shield encounter.
Bay of Plenty’s biggest batting number came in a Hawke Cup match at the Bay Oval in January 2017. Yorkshire’s Alex Lees, who would later play for England, made headlines on his sojourn Downunder in hammering 223 against Counties Manukau.
Sandwiched in the middle of the seven double centuries is 203 posted by Central Districts, Brad Schmulian, against ND eight years ago.
Inspection of the NZC website records reveals the outstanding average of the Bay Oval, with three double centuries from just six test match encounters.
Of the recent test venues used, the Basin Reserve has posted 15 double centuries from 70 tests. Seddon Park over the Kaimai Range is 3/29, while Hagley Oval goes 3/15, and the University Oval in Dunedin is 2/8.
The Bay Oval has developed all the hallmarks of a great playing venue, which rewards a structured and methodical approach to batting with big scores, while giving bowlers plenty of opportunity to take wickets.