5 instances when the 10th wicket stand scored half the runs of a team total

In the 3rd innings of the recently concluded Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan opening partnership scored 71 runs while all other 9 wickets could gather only 62 runs. It is however not the first time that a single partnership has scored more runs than all the other partnerships could put on collectively in a single innings whether it be Dravid-Sehwag partnership vs Pakistan or Jayawardene-Sangakkara partnership vs South Africa. However, it is very much rare that a 10th wicket partnership made half or more runs of the team’s total. We decided to go digging to find out how many times the last wicket partnership contributed more runs in the entire cricket history.To our amazement, it has not happened many times. In all international matches, there has been a total of 8649 instances when last two players have come to the crease, but the number of 10th wickets stands that scored more than half was less than 1 %. Interestingly, 5 of them have come in last 12 years, and the previous all years of international cricket have got only 1 such instance.Let us take a look at these instances in the order they happened.

#1 Willey-Willis vs West Indies in 1980

Willey won Man of the Match award for saving the Test

Peter Willey- Bob Willis 117* England vs West Indies 24-29 July 1980 at Oval

A complete day was lost to bad weather at Oval in the 4th Test Match of the series. After winning the toss, England decided to bat first and made 370 in their first innings. West Indies were 105 runs short when they were dismissed for 265 in their first innings.

It was the 3rd innings where all drama happened. A team which scored 370 runs in the first innings were reduced to 92-9 owing to some fantastic bowling display by Holding, Garner and Croft. England were on the verge of defeat since they had a lead of 197 runs with at least 50 overs to go on the last day.

Peter Willey – the father of current English player David Willey – was joined by Bob Wallis at the crease. They both put one of the best 10^th wicket partnerships in the history of Test cricket especially when the conditions were pretty much against their side.

Peter Willey scored 100* off 203 balls while Bob Willis made 24* from 114 balls. They made 117* runs for the 10^th wicket and England were 209 for 9 when they declared their innings, which meant West Indies required 315 runs to win with just a few overs to go.

The match was agreed as drawn by both captains. Peter Willey was adjudged Man on the Match for his match-saving effort.

#2 Van Vuuren- Bjorn Kotze 42 vs Pakistan in 2003

Akram and Akhtar ripped Namibia to shreds before a last wicket resistance

Van Vuuren- Bjorn Kotze 42 Namibia vs Pakistan 16 February 2003 at Kimberley

In the 14th match of World Cup 2003, Pakistan put on 255 runs in their 50 overs against Namibia. Pakistan’s attack equipped with Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar went through the defense of the weak Namibian outfit in the most emphatic fashion. Akram took five while Akhtar snapped up 4 to reduce Namibia to 42-9 in the 11^th over.

Van Vuuren joined the number 10 batsman Bjorn Kotze at the crease. They both fought much better than all the other batsmen of their team. Kotze made 24* from 29 balls while Vuuren added 14 from 19 balls.

In the end, Pakistan was forced to make a bowling change, having gone 7 overs without a wicket. Saqlain Mushtaq on 4^th ball of his spell got rid of Kotze and ended their 42-run resistance and Pakistan won the match by 171 runs. It is the only instance in the entire cricket history when the 10^th wicket partnership had added exactly half of the team’s total

#3 Amir-Ajmal vs New Zealand in 2009

Ajmal and Amir training before their match

Mohammad Amir- Saeed Ajmal Pakistan vs New Zealand 9 November 2009 at Abu Dhabi

They both have immense talent. They both have somewhat similar problems. Mohammad Amir, after serving his ban, is now struggling to get back in the side owing to resentment shown by some senior players. Saeed Ajmal, after getting a clean slate from ICC after remodelling his bowling action, is unable to make a solid comeback to the national side.

However, Pakistani fans can be proud of these two players due to their presence in this list as they were involved in the 2^nd highest 10^th wicket partnership in ODI history.

It was Iqbal Day – the birthday of the Poet of the East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal. New Zealand batting first gave Pakistan 212 runs to chase down. Pakistan got an opening stand of 47 but soon collapsed to 101-9.

Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Amir were the last batsmen at the crease, but they were very far from being a recognised batsman. With a career best knock of 73* which featured a hattrick of sixes towards mid-wicket off the experienced Daniel Vettori, Amir added 103 runs for the 10^th wicket with Ajmal.

With 8 to win from last over, Saeed Ajmal handed a catch to square leg fielder in the circle and Pakistan lost the match by 7 runs. For his 73* and 3 wickets, Amir was given the man of the match.

#4 Lyon-Siddle vs South Africa in 2011

Lyon and Siddle saved some face for Australia

Nathan Lyon – Peter Siddle 26 Australia vs South Africa 9-13 Nov 2011 at Cape Town

This was the Test in which Philander sent a strong message to the cricketing world. It was the first Test of the series and South Africa opted to field first after winning the toss. Michael Clarke’s brilliant 151 empowered Australia to 284 runs in the first innings.

South Africa were 73-3 before Watson and Ryan Harris wrecked havoc in the South African camp. South Africa was soon 83-9 and ultimately fell for 96. It was now again Australia to bat, with 188 runs already in their pocket, they were looking good for the win.

But nobody could have predicted what happened next. South African bowlers especially Philander did not let any Australian batsman reach the double figures and Australia were soon struggling at 21-9 in the 12^th over.

It is a world record for lowest score at which any team has lost first 9 wickets. However, a little redemption came from Nathan Lyon (14) and Peter Siddle (12) who put on 26 runs for the last wicket. Australia were finally dismissed for 47, and South Africa required 236 to win.

Hundreds from Amla and Smith saw South Africa home with 9 wickets to spare. Philander was adjudged man of the match especially for his 5 wickets in 2nd innings.

#5 Hughes-Agar vs England in 2013

Theirs was a partnership that will be remembered for many reasons

Phil Hughes – Ashton Agar 163 Australia vs England 10-14 July 2013 at Trent Bridge

Because this one is the most recent of all, the memories still linger. Ashton Agar made the world record for highest score for a number 11 batsman in tests. The partnership between Phil Hughes and Ashton Agar was and still is the 2nd highest partnership for 10th wicket in Tests.

Above all, the infamous Broad’s not-walking incident also came in this match when he clearly edged the ball from Agar to Clarke in slips. Aleem Dar gave him not out and when I asked Aleem Dar as to how could an umpire of his stature could miss that dismissal, he replied that it had seemed to him as if the ball hit the keeper’s gloves before going into the slip corridor. However let’s get back to partnership.

It was 1st Ashes Test of 2013 and England chose to bat after winning the toss. In less than 60 overs they were dismissed for 215 runs. 5 wicket haul from Anderson uprooted the middle and lower middle order of Australia and they were 117-9 when Phil Hughes was joined by the debutant Ashton Agar. Australia were still 98 short of England’s 215.

Naturally it should have been late Phil Hughes to take the lead in the partnership due to two factors – one he was a proper batsman and two Agar was playing his first innings. However, Hughes played second fiddle to Ashton Agar.

Ashton Agar made a brilliant 98 of 101 balls at a wonderful strike rate of 97. His innings included 12 fours and 2 sixes. Hughes contributed 60 in this partnership which resulted in 160 runs from 191 balls. Australia took a lead of 65 runs.

However, England went on to win that match by 14 runs. James Anderson was given the Man of the Match as he took another 5 wicket haul in the 2^nd innings. Interestingly, Australia required 71 to win when they lost their 9th wicket. This time a different pair- Haddin and Pattinson- were on the crease. They added 56 runs for the last wicket before Haddin edged a ball from Anderson to Matt Prior.