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Time and again, Test Cricket gives thrills and excitement with its stature. Another such famous incident occurred during the second and final Test match in between South Africa and Pakistan. By the end of the third day of the match the names of Babar Azam and the Pakistani skipper Shan Masood into the history books as they registered the highest wicket-opening partnership after the team was imposed a follow-on.
5 highest open partnerships during the continuation in Tests
(5) Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton (England):
England’s first pair – Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton – achieved the milestone in the 3rd Test match of India’s tour of England in 1990 which included 3 Tests and 2 ODIs between the two nations and several matches in between the tour. Both teams arrived at The Oval with different ambitions, with England eyeing a series win after a convincing win in the first Test match at Lord’s. India were aiming to win the match and draw the series.
However, it was the visitors who had a dream start to the match posting their first innings 606/9 with the shots highlighted by Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev. In reply, the England batsmen failed to match India’s intensity with the bat and were bowled out for 340 runs, forcing a follow-on.
The home side desperately needed to make runs to save the game, which is exactly what England’s opening pair did. The two batsmen had a 176-run partnership before Gooch was dismissed Narendra Hirwani on 88 runs. A strong start motivated the rest of England’s batsmen and with a valiant effort England added a total of 477 for the loss of 4 wickets before the changes were called and the match ended in a draw. So England won the 3-match Test series 1-0.
(4) Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan (England):
Batting first, England added another high score for the opening wicket after being forced to follow on. This time it was in 2004 in St. John vs West Indies.
West Indies have already made this match memorable after Brian Lara scored an unbeaten 400 runs and made history. With the help of some amazing batting from the skipper, West Indies managed to make a whopping 751 runs before they announced their innings.
In reply, the visitors were disappointed with the bat in the first innings and were bowled out for 285 runs. This is the continuation. Desperate to save themselves from a humiliating defeat, England’s batsmen got off to a solid start in the second innings and added 182 runs for the opening wicket. Trescothick contributed 88 off 188 balls before being dismissed Fidel Edwards. This helped England to put 422 runs on the board in their second innings and save the match.
(3) Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes (Bangladesh):
Bangladesh faced a determined England side in the first Test match of their 2010 England tour at Lord’s. The hosts made 505 runs in their first innings to beat Bangladesh by 282 runs, forcing Bangladesh to bat again in their quest to get closer to the total.
The Bangladeshi opening pair braved the damp English conditions and the relentless onslaught of pacers James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Steve Finn. Iqbal scored a heroic 103 runs off 100 balls before Finn got rid of the opening batsman. Along with Kayes, the opening pair added 185 runs to their team’s total.
However, their valiant resistance as the visitors could only give England a target of 160 runs, which the home side managed to achieve with the loss of just 2 wickets.
Also WATCH: Frustrated Wiaan Mulder throws the ball at Babar Azam in heated exchange on Day 3 of 2nd Test – SA vs PAK
(2) Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie (South Africa):
The top two Test playing nations met during South Africa’s 2008 tour of England at Lord’s for the opening Test match. England, batting first, had a dream run in their first innings and scored 593/8 before announcing their innings. South Africa had a dismal start to the tour in response as they were bowled out for 247 runs in their first innings.
In a deficit of 346 runs, the home team won the continuation. The Proteas excelled in their second innings and faced the English attack. Openers Smith and McKenzie added 204 runs between them. Smith made 107 runs before Anderson took his wicket. McKenzie, on the other hand, scored 138 runs off 447 balls. The brave response of the visiting side bore fruit as the match ended in a draw.
(1) Babar Azam and Shan Masood (Pakistan):
The record for the highest opening partnership went on to be broken by the opening pair of Pakistan skipper Masood and Azam as Pakistan played the final Test match of their South African tour in Cape Town. The Proteas amassed a mammoth total of 615 runs in their first innings and bundled out Pakistan’s first innings for 194 runs.
Pakistan needed a powerful knock to save the game while playing the follow-on. Azam started the second innings with Masood for the opener Saim Ayubis unavailability. The two Pakistani batsmen showed exceptional temperament against the South African pacers and added 206 runs between them on the third day of the match to break the record.
Towards the dying moments of the third day, Azam gave away his wicket Marco Jansen and the historical partnership has come to an end. Khurram Shehzad and Masood are currently in the lead for Pakistan as the visitors trail by 208 runs.
