Test cricket is the oldest and yet hardest format of the game. Being a batsman, it assesses ones’ determination, endurance, stamina, technique and skills. Since cricket is played in different countries, so batsmen go through the challenging task of pace, swing, spin and of course unfamiliar conditions which test their character. It is one of the prime reasons why many experts of the game believe that the red-ball format is real cricket.
Speaking about experts, then Test cricket has seen some legendary batsman like Sir Don Bradman, Sir Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, who have taken the captivating game to several heights.
Apart from the individual accomplishments, Test cricket has also produced some remarkable batting pairs, who have exhibited outstanding show to entertain their fans. This format has witnessed some incredible pairs who have amassed a massive tally of runs.
Let’s have a look at highest partnerships by wicket in Tests:
1.) Neil McKenzie – Graeme Smith (415 runs)
Former South Africa opener Neil McKenzie and former captain Graeme Smith etched their name on record books when the duo put together a partnership of 415 runs for the first wicket in the second Test against Bangladesh in 2008 at Chattogram. Both slammed double hundreds and took the game away from the hosts.
McKenzie smashed a 338-ball 226 with 28 fours and three sixes whereas Smith scored 232 of 277 deliveries with 33 fours and one six. In the match, the Proteas easily defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 205 runs.
2.) Sanath Jayasuriya – Roshan Mahanama (576 runs)
Back in 1997, when India was on the tour of Sri Lanka, the home team demolished the visitors after scoring the highest innings total in the history of Test cricket. It was the first Test at Colombo when the Islanders under the leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga posted a humungous 952/6d in their first innings.
During the innings, opener Sanath Jayasuriya and top-order batsman Roshan Mahanama stitched a partnership of 576 runs for the second wicket. Jayasuriya scored a triple hundred (340) while Mahanama smashed a double ton (225).
3.) Kumar Sangakkara – Mahela Jayawardene (624 runs)
Another Sri Lankan pair on the list is Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. They accomplished the feat for the third wicket against South Africa in the first Test at Colombo in 2006. Jayawardene smashed a triple ton and reached his highest career score of 374. Sanga, on the other hand, made 287.
The hosts managed to post 756/5d – ninth-highest total in an innings of a Test match. In the game, the dominance of Lankans greeted them with the victory over Proteas by an innings and 153 runs.
4.) Adam Voges – Shaun Marsh (449 runs)
During the first Test against West Indies at Hobart in 2015, Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh registered history when they put together a record-breaking 449 runs partnership for the fourth wicket of a Test match.
Voges went unbeaten 269 off 285 balls with 33 boundaries, while Marsh scored 182 off 266 deliveries with 15 fours and a six. The duo helped Aussies to post 583/4d in their first innings. Later, the Kangaroos won the contest by an innings and 212 runs.
5.) Sidney Barnes – Don Bradman (405 runs)
Back in 1946, the Australian pair consisting of the stunning opening batsman Sidney Barnes and a genius Sir Donald Bradman achieved a landmark which after so many years still remains an unbroken record. The duo had put together 405 runs for the fifth wicket against England in Sydney.
It was the second Test when after folding up England at 255, Australia managed to post 659/8d, thanks to Barnes and Bradman who both scored 234 and guided the Aussie team to claim a victory over English team by an innings and 33 runs.
6.) Ben Stokes – Jonny Bairstow (399 runs)
The most recent addition in the list of highest partnerships by wicket is the pair of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow who added 399 runs for the sixth wicket in the second Test against South Africa at Cape Town in 2016.
In the first innings, England posted 629/6d, courtesy of Stokes who scored a double hundred (258) and Bairstow who remained not out on 150. The match, however, ended in a draw but Stokes went on to claim the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
7.) Denis Atkinson – Clairmonte Depeiaza (347)
Another old record which remains unbroken is the highest partnership for the seventh wicket which came in the year 1955. It was the fourth Test played between West Indies and Australia at Barbados when Caribbean skipper Dennis Atkinson and wicket-keeper Clairmonte Depeiaza built a partnership of 347 runs.
Atkinson scored a double hundred (219) while Depeiaza went on to make 122 runs to drive West Indies to 510 in the first innings.
8.) Jonathan Trott – Stuart Broad (332 runs)
In 2010, England’s Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad destroyed the Pakistani bowling attack when they put together a stand of 332 runs for the eighth wicket. It was the fourth Test played at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground where Trott scored 184 and Broad shined with 169 to take the game away from the visitors.
England made 446 in their first innings. In response, Pakistan were bundled out for 74 and 147 in the first and second innings, respectively. The hosts won the match by an innings and a massive margin of 225 runs.
9.) Mark Boucher – Pat Symcox (195 runs)
Pakistani pace attack was at its prime in the 90s, but it faced the heat when South African wicket-keeper batsman Mark Boucher and off-spinner Pat Symcox achieved a phenomenal landmark of scoring 195 runs together for the ninth wicket.
It was the first Test played at Johannesburg in 1998 when the Proteas posted 364 in their first innings, thanks to the inspiring partnership between Boucher and Symcox. Boucher scored 78 off 161 deliveries, and Symcox smashed 108 off 157 balls.
10.) Joe Root – James Anderson (198)
Another mixture of a specialist England batsman and a bowler in the list is of Joe Root and James Anderson. During the first Test at Nottingham against India in 2014, Root and Anderson troubled the Indian bowling attack. They went on to register a record when the duo stitched a partnership of 198 runs for the 10th wicket.
Root scored a magnificent hundred (154), and Anderson reached his highest Test score of 81. The pair guided hosts to put 496 on the scoreboard. In the end, the match was drawn, but Anderson for his incredible performance with both bat and the ball was honoured with the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
