England v New Zealand third test, Tom Latham and Devon Conway record opening partnership, Ben Stokes wickets at Trent Bridge

New Zealanders Tom Latham and Devon Conway broke a record that had stood for almost a century before England skipper Ben Stokes marked his return to international duty by causing a late comeback on the first day of the third and deciding Test at Trent Bridge.

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The Black Caps were still well placed at 4-361 at stumps on Thursday’s opening day, with this three-match series all tied at 1-1.

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But they had been 0-317 as New Zealand captain Latham, who benefited from winning a good toss in the sweltering heat, made 151 and fellow left-handed opener Conway 157 before both were dismissed in the final session, causing a mini-collapse.

The partnership of the two 34-year-olds was the highest for any New Zealand wicket in a Test against England, surpassing the 276 shared by Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills in Wellington in 1930.

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But not for the first time it was Stokes, who was recalled along with paceman Gus Atkinson after missing the hosts’ crushing 253-run defeat in the second Test at the Oval due to breaking a midnight curfew to mark his side’s victory in the series opener at Lord’s, which broke through for England.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Stokes, almost by force of will, put Latham ahead with a long delivery and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who had dropped the New Zealand skipper on 129 after sitting out New Zealand’s mammoth win at the Oval on paternity leave, made no mistake.

England’s 1-317 became 2-319 in the next over when Conway holed to part-time off-spinner Joe Root, while substitute Matt Fisher took a fine running catch at long-on.

Rachin Ravindra skyed Atkinson carelessly to Smith and the next ball Henry Nicholls, fresh from his century at the Oval, fell for 36 to what became the last ball of the day when he was caught behind fast bowler Jofra Archer.

“It’s so funny in cricket: you get one and then you get two,” former England fast bowler Stuart Broad told Sky Sports.

“That gave England a good feeling and given how the day went, they will be happy with four wickets.”

But the day still belonged to New Zealand, with Conway telling Sky Sports he was “pretty happy with the way things went”.

Latham and Conway’s four previous partnerships in this series – two, nil, 14 and eight – gave no indication of the pair’s run spree on Thursday, but they cashed in on ideal batting conditions.

“We knew the wicket would be quite nice,” said Conway, who made a 23,000-mile (37,000 kilometer) round trip to New Zealand to see his newborn baby between the first and second Tests.

“It was important for us to put pressure on the bowling.

He added: “It’s a bit disappointing to have lost two wickets at the end, but we’ve got a lot of batters in the shed so hopefully we can move on.”

Recalled off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who had not bowled a Test for more than a year, almost had Conway out for 18 when a mistimed drive from a well-flown delivery just eluded a diving Root at short extra cover.

Stokes brought himself, to the cheers of the crowd, for the twentieth over, with New Zealand at 0-64, but Conway hit his second ball for four.

Latham completed a 149-ball hundred with consecutive boundaries off Stokes – a cutting stroke followed by a leg glance. It was his 17th century in 95 Tests.

New Zealand were 0-213 at tea, with Latham 109 not out and Conway unbeaten on 94.

During the afternoon session, Stokes failed to review an LBW shout that would have been overturned, with replays showing the ball had struck Conway’s pad in front of his bat.

“So you wondered if Stokes’ touch was failing him,” The Guardian’s Andy Bull wrote.

“He doesn’t really doubt himself, but when he saw all this, it felt like he was still trying to lead this team after letting them down over the past two weeks. He seemed less sure of himself than usual.

“There were no clever bowling changes, no funky fields. He even made a few uncharacteristic misfields, one particularly ugly at mid-off when he bent down to pick up a ball and missed it completely to give away a single.”

Conway reached his eighth hundred in 36 Tests with successive four-strokes off Bashir, going over wide long-on and driving him square through point.

He then hit brilliant sixes in successive overs, smashing a Bashir full-toss high over deep midwicket and pulling Tongue over long leg.

Conway was on 130 when a diving Ben Duckett could only use the tips of his fingers to give a difficult chance at square leg.

However, Latham should have been out for 129 when he gloved Atkinson down the leg side only for Smith to miss the routine chance as the ball went straight through his gloves and hit his chest.

“A little bit of momentum from England at the end of the day, but there’s no doubt that the first day of this Test match belonged to New Zealand,” Broad added.

“First innings runs are at a premium. New Zealand will be disappointed with the finish they had, but they are still in a great position.”

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull added on the Sky Sports podcast: “New Zealand would be very disappointed if they weren’t somewhere in the region of 550.

“And England should feel pretty good about their performance if it stays under 500.

“It’s a red-hot, flat wicket, a home ground for Ben Duckett. We know what Joe Root does on this ground. He could pitch his tent and bat on this kind of surface for a day and a half.”