New Zealand cricket team batsman Devon Conway broke a 125-year-old record as he recorded the highest score on Test debut in England. He scored 200 after facing 347 balls.
The South Africa-born cricketer smashed a double ton against hosts England in the first Test at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. The 29-year-old became just the seventh cricketer in world cricket to hit a double hundred on Test debut.
The southpaw also engraved his name in the history books as he broke a 125-year-old record held by former England cricketer KS Ranjitsinhji of the highest score by a batsman on Test debut in England. Ranjitsinhji had scored a scintillating 154 on his Test debut against Australia in Manchester in 1896.
The first batsman to score a Test double-century on debut in England
Devon Conway, you beauty! #ENGvNZ | https://t.co/PyjT1jqj3I pic.twitter.com/CGaNWkrfDA
— ICC (@ICC) June 3, 2021
Devon Conway was unfortunately run out after playing for 578 minutes, hitting 22 boundaries and one six.
Having made his international debut for New Zealand in November 2020, Conway became the second Kiwi to smash a ton after Mathew Sinclair in 2003.
With this double ton, the New Zealand batsman also became just the third left-handed batsman to smash a double ton on Test debut after Jacques Rudolph and Kyle Mayers. Conway is the second cricketer to achieve the milestone in 2021 after Mayers did it against Bangladesh.
"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," Devon said.
"Very happy... A pretty special feeling, and one I certainly didn't think about when I made that move," he added.
Highest scores on Test debut
| Player | Runs | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Reg Foster | 287 | England | Australia | Sydney | 11 December 1903 |
| Jacques Rudolph | 222 | South Africa | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 24 April 2003 |
| Lawrence Rowe | 214 | West Indies | New Zealand | Kingston | 16 February 1972 |
| Matthew Sinclair | 214 | New Zealand | Bangladesh | Wellington | 26 December 1999 |
| Kyle Mayers | 210 | West Indies | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 3 February 2021 |
| Brendon Kuruppu | 201* | Sri Lanka | New Zealand | Colombo (CCC) | 16 April 1987 |
| Devon Conway | 200 | New Zealand | England | Lords | 2 June 2021 |
Featured photo: Twitter /ICC
