Test Cricket has time and again, given us the thrill and excitement to its stature. Another such glorious incident came during the second and final Test match between South Africa and Pakistan. By the end of the third day of the match the names of Babar Azam and Pakistan skipper Shan Masood included in the history books as they registered the highest opening wicket partnership after follow-on is enforced upon a team.
5 highest opening partnerships during a follow-on in Tests
(5) Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton (England):
The England opening pair – Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton – achieved the milestone in the 3rd Test match of India’s 1990 tour of England which included 3 Tests and 2 ODI matches between the two nations and several tour games in between. Both teams arrived at The Oval with different ambitions, while England set their eyes to win the series, after their convincing win in the first Test match at the Lord’s. India aimed to win the match and draw the series.
However, it was the visitors who had a dream start to the match by declaring their first innings on 606/9 with emphatic knocks from Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev. In response, the England batters failed to match India’s intensity with the bat and were bowled out for 340 runs thus enforcing a follow-on.
The home side desperately needed to put runs on-board to save the match which is exactly what the English opening pair did. The two batters had a 176 run partnership before Gooch was dismissed by Narendra Hirwani on 88 runs. The strong start motivated other English batters and in a brave effort England added a total of 477 for the loss of 4 wickets before declaring the innings and the match ended in a draw. Thus, England won the 3-match Test series 1-0.
(4) Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan (England):
The English opening batters added another high score for the opening wicket after a follow-on was enforced on them. This time it was in 2004 at St. John’s against the West Indies.
West Indies had already made this match memorable after Brian Lara scored an unbeaten 400 runs and scripted history. With the help of a remarkable knock from the skipper, West Indies managed to put up a mammoth 751 runs before declaring their innings.
In response, the visitors were disappointed with the bat in the first innings and were bowled out for 285 runs. Thus enforcing a follow-on. Desperate to save themselves from a humiliating loss, the English opening batters gave a solid start in the second innings and added 182 runs for the opening wicket. Trescothick contributed 88 off 188 balls before getting dismissed by Fidel Edwards. This helped England put 422 runs on the board in their second innings and save the match.
(3) Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes (Bangladesh):
Bangladesh were met with a determined England side in the opening Test match of their 2010 tour of England at the Lord’s. The home side made 505 runs in their first innings and bowled out Bangladesh for 282 runs thus forcing Bangladesh to bat once again in their quest to come near to the grand total.
The Bangladeshi opening pair put together a brave resistance to the damp English conditions and relentless attack from pacers James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Steve Finn. Iqbal scored a heroic 103 runs off 100 balls before Finn got rid of the opening batter. Together with Kayes, the opening pair added 185 runs to their team’s total.
However, their brave resistance as the visitors could only give England a target of 160 runs which the home side managed to achieve for the loss of just 2 wickets.
Also WATCH: Frustrated Wiaan Mulder throws ball at Babar Azam in heated exchange on Day 3 of 2nd Test – SA vs PAK
(2) Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie (South Africa):
Two of the finest Test playing nations faced each other during South Africa’s 2008 tour of England at the Lord’s for the opening Test match. England, batting first, had a dream run in their first innings and scored 593/8 before declaring their innings. South Africa had a grim start to the tour in response as they were bowled out for 247 runs in their first innings.
Trailing by 346 runs, the home side enforced a follow-on. The Proteas in their second innings stood out and faced the English onslaught. Openers Smith and McKenzie added 204 runs between them. Smith made 107 runs before Anderson took his wicket. McKenzie, on the other hand, went on to score 138 runs off 447 balls. The brave response from the visiting side came to fruition as the match ended in a draw.
(1) Babar Azam and Shan Masood (Pakistan):
The record for the highest opening partnership in a follow-on was broken by the opening pair of Pakistan skipper Masood and Azam as Pakistan played the final Test match of their South Africa tour in Cape Town. The Proteas had put together a gigantic total of 615 runs in their first innings and wrapped up Pakistan’s first innings on 194 runs.
Pakistan needed a strong batting effort to save the match while playing a follow-on. Azam started the second innings with Masood due to opener Saim Ayub’s unavailability. The two Pakistani batters played the South African pacers displaying exemplary temperament and added 206 runs between them on the third day of the match to shatter the record.
Towards the dying moments of Day 3, Azam gave his wicket away to Marco Jansen and the historic partnership came to an end. Khurram Shehzad and Masood are currently on the crease for Pakistan as the visitors trail by 208 runs.