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Partnerships punching above their weight

Partnerships for each wicket that formed a large percentage of the team's total

Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad head off satisfied men after sharing an unbroken 244-run stand, England v Pakistan, 4th npower Test, Lord's, August 27 2010

Stuart Broad and Jonathan Trott added 74% of England's first-innings runs at Lord's  •  Getty Images

Before the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan was mired in scandal, it was memorable for one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Tests: England, floundering at 102 for 7, were rescued by Jonathan Trott and an unlikely ally, Stuart Broad. Both batsmen scored substantial centuries and their eighth-wicket partnership of 332 was 74.43% of England total of 446, which is a remarkably high percentage for a lower-order stand. So this week, we've dug up lists of partnerships for each wicket that formed a disproportionately large percentage of the total.
First wicket
Sherwin Campbell and Adrian Griffith batted for nearly the whole of the opening day against New Zealand in 1999, adding 276 for the first wicket, but incredibly West Indies still lost in Hamilton. Campbell was dismissed late on the first day and, on the second, West Indies folded for 365 in the first innings - the other nine partnerships making up only 24.40% of the total, compared to the 75.60% from the first. Campbell and Griffith's effort was 90 runs more than the total of West Indies' other 19 partnerships in the match, only the second such occurrence at the time, after the Lord's Test in 1896. Their's was also the second-highest opening stand in a Test defeat, after the 283-run association between Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe in an 81-run loss at the MCG.
Highest percentage of the team score for a first-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners RunsScore % In Out Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
SL Campbell, AFG Griffith (WI) 276 365 75.6 -276/1 lost v NZ Dec 16, 1999 Test 1477
VM Merchant, S Mushtaq Ali (India) 124 170 72.9 - 124/1 drawn v Eng Jul 20, 1946Test 277
ADR Campbell, DD Ebrahim (Zim) 164 22871.9 - 164/1 lost v WIJul 19, 2001 Test 1551
Aamer Sohail, Ijaz Ahmed (Pak) 298417 71.4 - 298/1 won v WI Dec 6, 1997 Test 1391
MD Bell, MH Richardson (NZ)91 131 69.4 - 91/1lost v Pak Mar 8, 2001 Test 1533
JM Parker, GM Turner (NZ) 107 158 67.7 -107/1 lost v Aus Mar 22, 1974 Test 736
CG Greenidge, DL Haynes (WI) 298 446 66.8 - 298/1 won v Eng Apr 12, 1990Test 1144
Aamer Sohail, Rameez Raja (Pak) 135 20864.9 - 135/1 won v NZDec 8, 1995 Test 1316
SV Carlisle, TR Gripper (Zim) 153236 64.8 - 153/1 lost v SL Jan 12, 2002 Test 1585
Junaid Siddique, Tamim Iqbal (Ban)161 254 63.3 - 161/1lost v NZ Jan 4, 2008 Test 1859
Second wicket
West Indies have been dismissed for less than 100 in both innings of a Test only once - at The Oval in 1957. They were 7 for 1 in the first innings but were steadied by a partnership of 61 between Garry Sobers and Nyron Asgarali. Once Asgarali was dismissed, however, wickets tumbled on a surface that aided England's spinners Tony Lock and Jim Laker. The partnership between Sobers and Asgarali was 68.50% of West Indies' total of 89. In the second innings, they were shot out for 86 and slumped to defeat by an innings and 237 runs - their largest defeat until 2007.
Highest percentage of the team score for a second-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score% In Out Result OppStart Date Scorecard
IM Chappell, WM Lawry (Aus) 217284 76.4 0/1 217/2 lost v WI Dec 6, 1968 Test 642
GA Gooch, DI Gower (Eng)351 464 75.6 20/1 371/2won v Aus Aug 29, 1985 Test 1022
JJ Crowe, GP Howarth (NZ) 210 283 74.2 13/1223/2 lost v WI May 4, 1985 Test 1016
H Sutcliffe, GE Tyldesley (Eng) 230 313 73.4 0/1 230/2 won v SA Dec 24, 1927Test 168
ADR Campbell, MH Dekker (Zim) 135 18772.1 0/1 135/2 lost v PakDec 9, 1993 Test 1240
CB Jennings, CG Macartney (Aus) 4665 70.7 0/1 46/2 lost v Eng Aug 19, 1912 Test 129
HM Amla, AN Petersen (SA)209 296 70.6 9/1 218/2lost v India Feb 14, 2010 Test 1952
Hanif Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed (Pak) 246 350 70.2 55/1301/2 drawn v India Dec 2, 1960 Test 497
R Dravid, G Gambhir (India) 314 453 69.3 6/1 320/2 drawn v Eng Dec 19, 2008Test 1901
NS Asgarali, GS Sobers (WI) 61 8968.5 7/1 68/2 lost v EngAug 22, 1957 Test 443
Third wicket
No partnership has contributed a greater proportion to a team's completed innings than the 168-run stand between Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara at Kingsmead in 2000, which began after Sri Lanka were 2 for 2. It formed 77.70% of Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 216 after the last eight wickets fell for 46 runs in 20 overs. South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and Sri Lanka eventually escaped with a draw largely because the fourth day was lost to rain. Sri Lanka haven't been back to Durban for a Test since.
Highest percentage of the team score for a third-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score % InOut Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
DPMD Jayawardene, KC Sangakkara (SL) 168 216 77.7 2/2 170/3 drawn v SA Dec 26, 2000Test 1526
GP Thorpe, MP Vaughan (Eng) 267 35774.7 15/2 282/3 lost v PakMay 31, 2001 Test 1547
L Amarnath, CK Nayudu (India) 186258 72.0 21/2 207/3 lost v Eng Dec 15, 1933 Test 230
IR Bell, PD Collingwood (Eng)175 248 70.5 30/2 205/3lost v Pak Nov 29, 2005 Test 1774
Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) 323 471 68.5 64/2387/3 won v WI Nov 29, 1997 Test 1389
WR Hammond, DR Jardine (Eng) 262 383 68.4 21/2 283/3 won v Aus Feb 1, 1929Test 179
Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan (Pak) 81 11968.0 9/2 90/3 lost v EngJul 27, 2006 Test 1811
RB Kanhai, SM Nurse (WI) 123181 67.9 1/2 124/3 lost v Aus Dec 30, 1960 Test 500
Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan (Pak)363 538 67.4 36/2 399/3lost v Eng Aug 4, 2006 Test 1813
S Chanderpaul, BC Lara (WI) 97 144 67.3 5/2102/3 lost v SA Jan 15, 1999 Test 1441
Fourth wicket
The only victory when the fourth-wicket partnership contributed an especially large percentage of the score came in the seventh Test, a timeless match at the SCG in 1882. Australia were 16 for 3 in response to England's 188 when Charles Bannerman and Percy McDonnell began their 199-run association. Bannerman made 70, McDonnell 147 and no one else got past single digits. They led Australia to a 74-run lead, which proved valuable in securing a six-wicket victory.
Highest percentage of the team score for a fourth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners RunsScore % In Out Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
AC Bannerman, PS McDonnell (Aus) 199 262 75.9 16/3215/4 won v Eng Mar 3, 1882 Test 7
VS Hazare, VL Manjrekar (India) 222 293 75.7 42/3 264/4 lost v Eng Jun 5, 1952Test 351
CG Greenidge, AI Kallicharran (WI) 162 22871.0 28/3 190/4 drawn v NZFeb 22, 1980 Test 875
GA Faulkner, AW Nourse (SA) 98140 70.0 18/3 116/4 drawn v Eng Jul 1, 1907 Test 93
Habibul Bashar, Manjural Islam Rana (Ban)120 176 68.1 34/3 154/4lost v WI Jun 4, 2004 Test 1703
DG Bradman, WH Ponsford (Aus) 388 584 66.4 39/3427/4 drawn v Eng Jul 20, 1934 Test 236
SN McGregor, BW Sinclair (NZ) 171 263 65.0 76/3 247/4 drawn v SA Mar 13, 1964Test 560
Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh (Ban) 115 17764.9 5/3 120/4 lost v NZOct 19, 2004 Test 1715
Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf (Pak) 259405 63.9 64/3 323/4 lost v Eng Dec 7, 2000 Test 1521
SE Gregory, GHS Trott (Aus)221 347 63.6 62/3 283/4lost v Eng Jun 22, 1896 Test 50
Fifth wicket
When was the last time West Indies beat Australia by a ten-wicket margin? In 1999, at Sabina Park, when Brian Lara scored one of the game's great double-centuries. Fourteen wickets fell on the first day, 14 fell on the third day, but none fell on the second, when Lara entertained in the company of Jimmy Adams. It was Lara's first Test hundred since June 1997, and he and Adams lifted West Indies from 36 for 4 with a 322-run partnership, a West Indian record, that earned a first-innings lead of 175. Australia were skittled for 177, leaving West Indies with a target of 3.
Highest percentage of the team score for a fifth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score% In Out Result OppStart Date Scorecard
JC Adams, BC Lara (WI) 322431 74.7 56/4 378/5 won v Aus Mar 13, 1999 Test 1451
JL Langer, RT Ponting (Aus)327 451 72.5 54/4 381/5won v Pak Nov 26, 1999 Test 1472
SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman (India) 149 218 68.3 56/4205/5 won v WI Apr 19, 2002 Test 1599
Asif Iqbal, Javed Miandad (Pak) 281 417 67.3 55/4 336/5 won v NZ Oct 9, 1976Test 782
CZ Harris, GR Stead (NZ) 145 22265.3 58/4 203/5 lost v SAMar 18, 1999 Test 1452
RP Arnold, A Ranatunga (SL) 109169 64.4 21/4 130/5 lost v SA Jul 30, 2000 Test 1505
WR Endean, JHB Waite (SA)129 201 64.1 19/4 148/5drawn v Aus Dec 23, 1957 Test 444
DPMD Jayawardene, A Ranatunga (SL) 116 181 64.0 47/4163/5 lost v Pak Jun 21, 2000 Test 1501
CL Hooper, AL Logie (WI) 108 173 62.4 47/4 155/5 drawn v Pak Dec 6, 1990Test 1158
PD Collingwood, EJG Morgan (Eng) 219 35461.8 118/4 337/5 won v PakJul 29, 2010 Test 1967
Sixth wicket
The Ashes Test at the MCG in 1937 was an odd match. Don Bradman made an unusual move of declaring in the first innings of a timeless Test (200 for 9), and when England did likewise on 76 for 9, it was the first instance of both teams declaring their first innings in a Test. In Australia's second innings, Bradman reversed the batting order to protect his specialists on a pitch Wisden called a "glue pot". He and Jack Fingleton would have normally had a second-wicket partnership, but instead they were batting for the sixth. They began with Australia on 93 for 5 and by the time Fingleton fell, the score was 443. Their partnership of 346 was 61.30% of Australia's match-winning score of 564.
Highest percentage of the team score for a sixth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score % InOut Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
Abdul Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) 206 288 71.5 39/5 245/6 drawn v WI May 5, 2000Test 1494
ML Hayden, A Symonds (Aus) 279 41966.5 84/5 363/6 won v EngDec 26, 2006 Test 1824
Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim (Ban) 191299 63.8 78/5 269/6 lost v SL Jul 3, 2007 Test 1838
VS Hazare, DG Phadkar (India)105 165 63.6 26/5 131/6lost v Eng Jun 5, 1952 Test 351
MV Boucher, AG Prince (SA) 271 429 63.1 134/5405/6 won v Ban Nov 26, 2008 Test 1895
PJL Dujon, AL Logie (WI) 130 209 62.2 54/5 184/6 won v Eng Jun 16, 1988Test 1099
M Azharuddin, SR Tendulkar (India) 222 35961.8 58/5 280/6 lost v SAJan 2, 1997 Test 1349
DG Bradman, JHW Fingleton (Aus) 346564 61.3 97/5 443/6 won v Eng Jan 1, 1937 Test 257
JC Adams, JR Murray (WI)162 266 60.9 82/5 244/6lost v India Nov 18, 1994 Test 1274
Inzamam-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif (Pak) 96 158 60.7 35/5131/6 lost v Zim Jan 31, 1995 Test 1285
Seventh wicket
West Indies were in strife against Australia at the Kensington Oval in 1955. In response to the visitors' 668, West Indies had slumped to 147 for 6 and ended the third day with Denis Atkinson, the captain, and wicketkeeper Clairmonte Depeiaza at the crease. Neither batsman had ever scored a Test hundred but they chose this occasion to do so. Atkinson and Depeiaza batted through the entire fourth day and amassed 347 runs for the seventh wicket (68% of the total of 510). Neither batsmen scored a Test century again but this effort helped save the Test. Atkinson had batted for nearly six hours for his 219 to go with his 84.2 overs in the Test.
Highest percentage of the team score for a seventh-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners RunsScore % In Out Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
JJ Lyons, CTB Turner (Aus) 48 70 68.5 7/655/7 lost v Eng Aug 30, 1888 Test 30
DS Atkinson, CC Depeiaza (WI) 347 510 68.0 147/6 494/7 drawn v Aus May 14, 1955Test 406
JD Ryder, DL Vettori (NZ) 186 27966.6 60/6 246/7 lost v IndiaMar 18, 2009 Test 1915
AP Binns, ED Weekes (WI) 4677 59.7 22/6 68/7 lost v NZ Mar 9, 1956 Test 424
R Benaud, AK Davidson (Aus)134 232 57.7 92/6 226/7tied v WI Dec 9, 1960 Test 498
RMH Binny, S Madan Lal (India) 155 275 56.3 85/6240/7 drawn v Pak Sep 14, 1983 Test 961
RS Kalpage, HP Tillakaratne (SL) 131 234 55.9 78/6 209/7 lost v Pak Aug 26, 1994Test 1267
JDP Oram, DL Vettori (NZ) 183 32755.9 89/6 272/7 lost v SAApr 15, 2006 Test 1798
Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram (Pak) 57103 55.3 41/6 98/7 lost v Zim Nov 27, 1998 Test 1430
MR Ramprakash, SJ Rhodes (Eng)68 123 55.2 27/6 95/7lost v Aus Feb 3, 1995 Test 1287
Eighth wicket
Nasser Hussain's first Test as captain needed an eighth-wicket stand between Andy Caddick and Alex Tudor to steer England's first-innings score past 100 at Edgbaston. They added 70, 55.50% of England's 126, their lowest total at home against New Zealand. Having conceded a lead of 100, Caddick then cut through New Zealand's second innings on a dramatic second day, on which 21 wickets fell. The last was that of Alec Stewart, as England were chasing 208 for victory. Tudor was sent in as night-watchman and he took control of the chase on the third morning, remaining unbeaten on 99 as England won by seven wickets.
Highest percentage of the team score for a eighth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score% In Out Result OppStart Date Scorecard
SCJ Broad, IJL Trott (Eng) 332446 74.4 102/7 434/8 won v Pak Aug 26, 2010 Test 1971
EL McCormick, WJ O'Reilly (Aus)49 80 61.2 31/7 80/8lost v Eng Dec 18, 1936 Test 256
GA Faulkner, RO Schwarz (SA) 100 174 57.4 49/7149/8 lost v Aus Dec 9, 1910 Test 111
JN Gillespie, RT Ponting (Aus) 107 188 56.9 60/7 167/8 lost v SL Sep 9, 1999Test 1459
Saqlain Mushtaq, Wasim Akram (Pak) 313 55356.6 237/7 550/8 drawn v ZimOct 17, 1996 Test 1336
CA Absolom, Lord Harris (Eng) 63113 55.7 26/7 89/8 lost v Aus Jan 2, 1879 Test 3
AR Caddick, AJ Tudor (Eng)70 126 55.5 45/7 115/8won v NZ Jul 1, 1999 Test 1455
GOB Allen, LEG Ames (Eng) 246 454 54.1 190/7436/8 drawn v NZ Jun 27, 1931 Test 209
G Kirsten, PL Symcox (SA) 124 239 51.8 98/7 222/8 won v Pak Oct 24, 1997Test 1382
RM Hogg, JA Maclean (Aus) 60 11651.7 53/7 113/8 lost v EngDec 1, 1978 Test 834
Ninth wicket
The two highest partnerships for the ninth wicket feature in the table below. The record was held by Asif Iqbal and Intikhab Alam who aded 190 to lift Pakistan from 65 for 8 to 255 against England at The Oval in 1967. The partnership contributed 74.5% of Pakistan's second innings total. That record was broken in 1998 when Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox added 195 against Pakistan in Johannesburg, but that partnership was only 53.5% of South Africa's 364 against Pakistan.
Highest percentage of the team score for a ninth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners Runs Score % InOut Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
Asif Iqbal, Intikhab Alam (Pak) 190 255 74.5 65/8 255/9 lost v Eng Aug 24, 1967Test 623
RMH Binny, S Madan Lal (India) 117 20756.5 90/8 207/9 lost v WIOct 21, 1983 Test 964
AV Bedser, JC Laker (Eng) 89165 53.9 74/8 163/9 lost v Aus Jun 10, 1948 Test 299
MV Boucher, PL Symcox (SA)195 364 53.5 166/8 361/9drawn v Pak Feb 14, 1998 Test 1400
SB Doull, SP Fleming (NZ) 54 107 50.4 52/8106/9 lost v Eng Jul 1, 1999 Test 1455
Iqbal Qasim, Sarfraz Nawaz (Pak) 31 62 50.0 26/8 57/9 lost v Aus Nov 13, 1981Test 909
MG Burgess, RS Cunis (NZ) 96 20048.0 101/8 197/9 drawn v PakNov 8, 1969 Test 665
MS Kasprowicz, SK Warne (Aus) 56118 47.4 54/8 110/9 lost v Eng Jun 5, 1997 Test 1368
SK Coen, CL Vincent (SA)80 170 47.0 78/8 158/9lost v Eng Dec 24, 1927 Test 168
Sarfraz Nawaz, Zaheer Abbas (Pak) 161 343 46.9 181/8342/9 drawn v Eng Mar 19, 1984 Test 984
Tenth wicket
Australia's six-run victory in the timeless Sydney Test in 1885 was made possible by a remarkable last-wicket stand in their first innings. They were 101 for 1 when Nos. 10 and 11, Tom Garrett and Edwin Evans, scored 51 not out and 33 and added 80 for the last wicket. Australia took a lead of 48 and eventually set England a target of 214, which was just enough.
Highest percentage of the team score for a tenth-wicket partnership (completed innings only)
Partners RunsScore % In Out Result Opp Start Date Scorecard
Wasim Bari, Wasim Raja (Pak) 133 291 45.7 158/9291/10 drawn v WI Feb 18, 1977 Test 797
BS Bedi, S Venkataraghavan (India) 40 89 44.9 49/9 89/10 drawn v NZ Oct 15, 1969Test 661
E Evans, TW Garrett (Aus) 80 18144.1 101/9 181/10 won v EngFeb 20, 1885 Test 19
TR McKibbin, H Trumble (Aus) 1944 43.1 25/9 44/10 lost v Eng Aug 10, 1896 Test 52
SL Boock, JG Bracewell (NZ)124 293 42.3 169/9 293/10lost v Aus Nov 22, 1985 Test 1030
FR Spofforth, JW Trumble (Aus) 64 163 39.2 99/9163/10 lost v Eng Mar 21, 1885 Test 21
KSC de Silva, HP Tillakaratne (SL) 73 188 38.8 115/9 188/10 lost v Pak Mar 12, 1999Test 1450
SMH Kirmani, Maninder Singh (India) 40 10338.8 63/9 103/10 lost v WINov 12, 1983 Test 967
AER Gilligan, CAG Russell (Eng) 92241 38.1 149/9 241/10 won v SA Feb 16, 1923 Test 152
RO Collinge, BF Hastings (NZ)151 402 37.5 251/9 402/10drawn v Pak Feb 16, 1973 Test 713
If there's a particular List you would like to see, email us with your comments and suggestions.

Travis Basevi is a cricket statistician and UK Senior Programmer for Cricinfo and other ESPN sports websites. George Binoy is an Assistant Editor at Cricinfo

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