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Australia remain in command in the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington, thanks to an incredible 10th-wicket partnership between Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood. The duo added as many as 116 runs for the final wicket and ensured the visitors finished their first innings with 383 runs on the board.
Such partnerships are demoralizing for the bowling unit as they are dragged in the field and often end up affecting the momentum going into their batting innings. This is exactly what happened with the Kiwis as they were bundled out for just 179 in their first essay, putting Australia in the driver's seat in the Test.
It will be intriguing for many to know that the partnership between Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood was the fourth-highest for Australia for the 10th wicket. Moreover, there have been 15 partnerships for the 10th wicket in the history of Test cricket that have added more runs than that added by Green and Hazlewood.
On that note, let's take a look at five of the biggest 10th-wicket stands in the longest format of international cricket:
#5 Denesh Ramdin & Tino Best - 143 runs
Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin had walked out to bat, with West Indies 152/5 in their first innings of the third Test against England in Birmingham in 2012. While wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Ramdin continued to hold his end and eventually found a great partner in Tino Best.
From 283/9, Ramdin and Best began to frustrate the hosts with their strokeplay and added as many as 143 runs for the final wicket. The West Indies wicketkeeper got his hundred and had the famous celebration where he showed a piece of paper that had "Yea Viv, Talk Nah" written on it, indirectly having a go at the criticism done by former legendary batter Vivian Richards.
Best himself scored a staggering 95 runs of 112 balls and still holds the record for the second-highest Test score by a No. 11 batter. The match ended in a draw, but England took the Test series 2-0.
#4 Azhar Mahmood & Mushtaq Ahmed - 151 runs
South Africa faced Pakistan in the first game of the 1997 Test series in Rawalpindi and the visitors were on top, with the hosts in a precarious situation at 231/8. However, all-rounder Azhar Mahmood led the way in a strong lower-order resistance that gave Pakistan much-needed respite.
Azhar added 74 runs with Waqar Younis for the ninth wicket, but it was his 10th-wicket stand with Mushtaq Ahmed that stung the Proteas. The two added 151 runs before Mushtaq was cleaned up by Hansie Cronje for 59. Azhar remained unbeaten on 127* as Pakistan posted a score of 456 in their first innings.
South Africa gave a strong response with 403 in their first essay and the game eventually ended in a draw.
#3 Brian Hastings & Richard Collinge - 151 runs
Pakistan had a golden opportunity to win the Auckland Test against the Kiwis in 1973, only to be stopped in their tracks by an incredible rearguard effort from Brian Hastings and Richard Collinge.
The visitors posted 402 in their first innings and had New Zealand at 251/9 when Collinge walked out to bat. The No. 11 scored 68* off 155 balls and allowed Hastings to get his hundred. The 151-run partnership allowed the Kiwis to level their first-innings score with Pakistan.
New Zealand bowled Pakistan out for 271, but there wasn't enough time left in the Test to chase the target down.
#2 Phillip Hughes & Ashton Agar - 163 runs
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar had a debut to remember personally in what was a thrilling Ashes 2013 Test at Trent Bridge. Despite bowling England out for 215, the visitors were in the doldrums at 117/9 when Agar walked out to bat alongside Phillip Hughes.
The debutant showed incredible class in his strokeplay as he scored a fantastic 98 runs, the highest score in the history of Test cricket by a No. 11. Adding 163 runs with Hughes for the 10th wicket, Agar ensured the Aussies got a lead of 65 runs. Trying to go for the big shot to get to his hundred, the youngster was caught at deep midwicket.
Although the visitors took the lead, England fought back and ended up thrillingly winning the game by just 14 runs.
#1 Joe Root & James Anderson - 198
The first game of the 2014 Test series between India and England at Trent Bridge saw the hosts dish out a fantastic rearguard effort to deny the visitors a massive chance to win the game.
India posted a mammoth 457 in their first innings, thanks to a fantastic hundred by Murali Vijay (146). England, in reply, were 298/9 and MS Dhoni and co. had a golden opportunity to get a massive first-innings lead.
That was when James Anderson got together with Joe Root and stitched together the biggest 10th-wicket partnership in Test history. They added as many as 198 runs, with Root scoring a sparkling 154* and Anderson getting a career-best score of 81.
This partnership helped that England post a staggering 496. The pressure was on India to bat well in their third innings to save the game. That's exactly what happened as the game in Nottingham ended in a stalemate.
