KIWIS’ TOUR PUSH FOR RUN MACHINE CONWAY

NEW ZEALAND have lobbied their own country’s government for dispensation to select run machine Devon Conway for this summer’s Test tour of England. Under strict travel regulations drawn up to prevent the spread of Covid, only New Zealand nationals can enter the country’s borders, meaning that Conway would not be able to go ‘home’ if chosen in the squad for a two-match series against England plus June’s World Test Championship final. Conway, 29, qualified for the Black Caps six months ago under the ICC’s three-year residency ruling, but is yet to gain citizenship. It has led to New Zealand Cricket applying to the country’s immigration department to grant a temporary visa change which would allow the South African-born batsman — who flayed Australia with an unbeaten 99 in a Twenty20 international on Monday — to be named in his first squad overseas. In a bid to reinvigorate his career, Conway only moved to New Zealand ahead of the 2017-18 season but has dominated on the domestic scene with Wellington. He was the leading scorer in each of the first-class, T20 and 50-over competitions in 2019-20. He heads the four-day charts once again this winter, and finished runner-up to team-mate Finn Allen as Wellington won the T20 title earlier this month. On Monday, he came within a whisker of making his first international hundred but managed just a single from the final ball of New Zealand’s innings in a 53-run victory over the Australians in Christchurch. It took his average to 91 in seven international appearances and his overall tally to 273 runs.