Devon Conway's 2022 has started a lot better than his 2021 ended.
Last year, Conway's final match for the Black Caps ended in agony, breaking his hand when punching his bat in disgust after being dismissed in the Twenty20 World Cup semifinal.
He had to watch on as the Black Caps lost the final to Australia without him, before a six-week stint on the sideline ended on Tuesday, when he walked out at No 3 for the New Zealand XI in a warm-up match.
Two balls later and he was trudging back off the park, ending the year with an outing that was far from ideal preparation for a returning test batsman.
Flip the calendar though, and the true Conway emerged, with the 30-year-old compiling a classy 122 on day one of the first test against Bangladesh to mark his return to the top level in style.
"It was a good day, I'm pretty grateful for the way things went for me, I haven't had a proper hit in eight weeks," Conway said.
"It was nice to contribute. I probably had four-to-five hard [net] sessions in and around that practice match. Thankfully it's paid off."
In just four tests, Conway has already brought up 500 runs, at an average of 71.6. His performances in the first innings of those tests have been even more impressive, raising his bat every time with tallies of 200, 80, 54 and 122.
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Advertise with NZME.It looks an easy game, but Conway had to battle early in his first test at home, and his first at No 3, walking in at 1-1 in the fourth over after the loss of Tom Latham.
He survived a review for lbw when scoreless thanks to the "umpire's call" verdict, and blocked his way through to six runs off 33 balls before he could free the arms, making a statement to the bowlers by punishing anything short or straight with an array of legside shots.
"It was a bit challenging up front," Conway acknowledged. "We identified the Bangladeshi bowlers were bowling really well in that period and the surface was assisting them as well, so we just had to be as patient as possible and earn the right to play those more attacking shots later on in the day."
The only disappointment from Conway's innings came in his dismissal, nibbling at a legside delivery from Mominul Haque, a part-time spinner with a test bowling average that exceeds 100.
"The last thing you want to do is to get out to a bowler like that after a long innings," rued Conway.
But, even in his departure there was still one positive.
At least he didn't punch his bat.
