The no. 9 position in any format is considered the starting position of the tail-enders. The bowlers usually take charge of batting in the No. 9 position. Any runs scored in the no. 9–no. 11 positions are considered bonus runs for the batting team. In this situation, usually, the bowlers are adding the bonus runs for themselves to bowl at. The tail-enders possess the ability to hit the long ball, but that can sometimes be a fluke as well. This article will tell our readers about the top 10 batters with the most runs at No. 9 in test cricket.
1. Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad was a former right-arm medium-fast bowler for England. Considered one of the finest red-ball fast bowlers, Broad made his test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007. Born in Nottingham in 1986, Stuart is the son of former English player Chris Broad. He retired in 2023 with 604 test wickets. The player also scored 3662 runs in his test career. While batting at No. 9, the bowler scored 1389 runs and a century as well. His average while batting at the position was 19.84. The bowler remains one of the best bowlers for England.
2. Tim Southee
The right-arm medium-fast bowler for New Zealand, Tim Southee, was born in Northland in 1988. The bowler made his Test debut against England in 2008. He was impressive in the U-19 CWC, which took place in South Africa in the same year. The bowler can hit the ball long and can bat decently as well. He has scored 1976 runs in his test career, out of which 1155 have come while batting at No. 9. At an average of 15.00 at No. 9, the player also leads the team in the absence of his Uner-19 teammate Kane Williamson.
3. Daniel Vettori
Daniel Vettori was a former left-arm orthodox bowler and a handy batter down the order for New Zealand. Born in Auckland in 1979, the southpaw made his test debut against England in 1997. He was also a former captain of his nation across formats. Out of total runs in his test career, the all-rounder scored 1105 runs while batting at No. 9, which also includes a century at the same position. His average at the No. 9 position was 23.51, and he scored six 100s in his test career. The player announced his retirement in 2014 from the longest format of the game.
4. Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc, one of the finest left-arm fast bowlers in Australia and around the world, was born in New South Wales in 1990. He was the man of the tournament in the 2015 World Cup, which Australia won. The bowler can move the ball both ways and can also bat decently down the order. He made his test debut against New Zealand in 2011 and has scored 80 runs in his test career. While batting at No. 9, he has scored 1094 runs at an average of 23.28. He is always an inclusion in the Australian squad across formats.
5. Brett Lee
Brett Lee, one of the fastest bowlers in Australia and in the world to ever hold the cricket ball in hand, was born in New South Wales in 1976. He made his Test debut against India at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1999. The bowler was known for his extreme pace and bounce and his impeccable control over them. He scored 1451 runs in his test career, of which 1003 came while batting at No. 9. His average while batting at No. 9 was 20.06, and he retired from test cricket in 2008.
6. Curtly Ambrose
Born in 1963, Curtly Ambrose was a right-arm fast bowler and the most lethal one of his generation. The 6ft 7in tall bowler would jump and release the ball from a height of 10ft making it very difficult for the batter to even judge the ball. He made his test debut against Pakistan in 1988 and became a key factor in the team. The player scored 1439 runs in his test career out of which,973 came while batting at no.9. his average while batting at no. 9 was 12.01 and he called quits from the game in 2000 after his 12-year-long impressive career.
7. Rangana Herath
Rangana Herath was a former left-arm orthodox spinner for Sri Lanka. Born in 1978, the bowler made his test debut against Australia in 1999. The spinner was one of the greatest in Sri Lankan cricket and was almost unplayable in the home conditions. The bowler also scored 1699 runs in his 19-year-long career, of which 900 came while batting at No. 9. His average at the position was 13.85, and he retired from test cricket in 2018.
8. Graeme Swann
One of the finest off-break bowlers for England and in the world, Swann was born in Northampton in 1979. He made his test debut against India in 2008 in Chennai. The bowler was accurate with his line and length and always troubled the batters with his spin mastery. In his five-year-long test career, the player scored 1370 runs, of which 880 came while batting at No. 9 in the longest format. He retired from test cricket in 2013 after establishing himself among the best spinners in the game.
9. Chaminda Vaas
The former left-arm fast-medium bowler for Sri Lanka was born in 1974. He made his test debut against Pakistan in 1994 and has been a regular inclusion in the squad ever since. He scored 3089 runs in his test career and 847 while batting at No. 9. He had a 15-year-long career and retired from the test format in 2009.
10. Nico Boje
Nico Boje was a left-arm orthodox bowler for South Africa. Born in 1973, the bowler made his test debut against India in 2000 at the Wankhede Stadium. He scored 1312 runs in his test career, of which 804 came while batting at No. 9. He was one of the players involved in the match-fixing scandal in 2000. The player retired in 2006. The content has been taken from these websites:
