In a test match, the team which scores more aggregate runs across both the innings wins the match. Hence, every run matters. Traditionally, the role of the tenth-wicket partnership is to go all guns blazing and add the final bonus runs to the team total. Since the last pair usually plays aggressively, their partnership doesn’t often last long. But some tenth-wicket partnerships in history blew up their oppositions by adding piles of runs. Here are Top 10 Tenth-Wicket Partnerships in Test Cricket-
1. Joe Root – James Anderson (198)
India was playing against England in the First Test at Trent Bridge in 2014. India posted a strong 457 in the first innings. In reply, England was reeling at 298/9, trailing by 159 runs. Joe Root and James Anderson were at the crease trying to reduce the gap. But against all the odds, the pair added record-breaking 198 runs to hand England a lead of 39 runs. Root hit 154* while Anderson scored a career-high 81. The match ended in a draw, and Anderson was chosen the Man of the Match for scoring 81 runs and taking 4 wickets in the match.
2. Phil Hughes – Ashton Agar (163)
Australia toured England and Scotland in 2013. In the 2ndTest against England, England posted 215. Australia was on the verge of being skittled out for a low target when struggled at 117/9. Phil Hughes and Ashton Agar then joined hands to stitch a miraculous 163-run stand to help Australia post 280. Hughes scored 81* while Agar top-scored with 98, the highest score by a number eleven batter. Unfortunately for them, the result of the match didn’t go their way as England won by 14 runs.
3. Brian Hastings – Richard Collinge (151)
In the 3rd Test between New Zealand and Pakistan in 1973 in Auckland, the visitors posted 402. In reply, the Kiwi openers Rodney Redmond and Glenn Turner posted 159 for the first wicket. Despite an excellent start, New Zealand was soon reeling at 251/9. No. 4 Brian Hastings and the last man Richard Collinge added crucial 151 runs for the last wicket, which enabled the Kiwis to level Pakistan’s first-inning score. The match eventually ended in a draw.
4. Azhar Mahmood – Mushtaq Ahmed (151)
South Africa and Pakistan clashed in a test match in Rawalpindi in 1997. Winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat first. The hosts were sitting firmly at 305/9. But the last pair of Azhar Mahmood and Mushtaq Ahmed were not satisfied. The duo stitched 151 runs for the last wicket to take the score to 456. Mahmood scored 128* on his test debut while Ahmed anchored with a 59-run knock. The match eventually ended up in a stalemate.
5. Denesh Ramdin – Tino Best (143)
England played against the West Indies at Edgbaston in 2012. West Indies’ No. 11 Tino Best had joined Denesh Ramdin in the middle to add bonus runs. The duo frustrated the English bowlers, and Ramdin brought up his 2nd test hundred (107*), and Best scored a career-high 95 to add 143. West Indies folded up for 426. England had scored 221/5 when umpires declared a stalemate.
6. Wasim Raja – Wasim Bari (133)
This partnership is from the 1st Test between West Indies and Pakistan in 1977 in Bridgetown (Barbados). Pakistan batted to score 435. In reply, the West Indians scored 421. In the 3rd innings, Pakistan was tottering at 158/9, leading by 172 runs and staring at a defeat. Wasim Raja and No. 11 Wasim Bari combined to add crucial 133 runs for the tenth wicket and propelled the team score to 291. Raja scored 71 while Bari hit an unbeaten 60. The stand came in handy as the match ended in a stalemate.
7. Sachin Tendulkar – Zaheer Khan (133)
Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan stitched the highest tenth-wicket partnership for India in tests. This happened in the 1st test against Bangladesh in 2004 in Dhaka. Batting first, Bangladesh was restricted to 184. In reply, India piled up 526. The highlight of the innings was the last-wicket stand of 133 runs between opener Sachin Tendulkar and No. 11 Zaheer Khan. Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 248 while Zaheer Khan hit his career-best 75 runs. Bangladesh was all out on 202 in the 3rd innings as India won the match by an innings and 140 runs.
8. Tip Foster – Wilfred Rhodes (130)
This partnership dates back to 1903 when England toured Australia. In the 1st Test at Sydney, Australia batted first to post 285. In reply, England was leading at 447/9 when Tip Foster and Wilfred Rhodes joined hands. The couple weaved a partnership of 130 runs, with Rhodes scoring 40* while Foster scoring a mammoth 287. England eventually won the match by 5 wickets.
9. Ken Higgs – Jon Snow (128)
West Indies toured England in 1966. In the 5th test at The Oval, West Indies was bowled out for 268. England replied with a mammoth 527. The tail ender duo of Ken Higgs and Jon Snow added 128 runs to amplify their score. West Indies were bowled out for 225 in the 3rd innings as England won by an innings and 34 runs.
10. Johnny Taylor – Arthur Mailey (127)
Let us go back by about 100 years. The English were touring Australia. In the opening test, Australia posted 450. England responded with 298. In the 3rd innings, Johnny Taylor and Arthur Mailey stitched a 127-run last-wicket stand to propel Australia to 452. The English were bowled out for 411 as the Kangaroos won the match by 193 runs.
