Cashing in after crumbling

Matthew Hayden was out for a duck in the first over of the Bangalore Test, leaving Australia on 0 for 1. However, a 166-run stand for the second wicket, between Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich, helped Australia recover to 430. The record for the highest stand after being 0 for 1 is 235, between Bill Woodfull and Charles Macartney at Headingley in 1926. This week we've looked at partnerships that revived the innings after top-order collapses. There is no precise definition for a collapse, so we've looked at instances when a team lost its first wicket for less than ten, two wickets for less than 20, three for less than 30 and so on...

McCosker and Chappell - 277 v England, The Oval, 1975
Australia went into the fourth Ashes Test protecting a 1-0 lead, and by the end of the first day the series was virtually won. It was Ian Chappell's 30th, and last, Test as captain and he joined Rick McCosker early after Alan Turner was dismissed with Australia 7 for 1. They steadied the innings and went in to lunch on 66 for 1. England had an opportunity to break the stand but Graham Roope dropped McCosker on 57 at slip, after which McCosker went on to score his maiden century. He was unbeaten on 126 at stumps, while Chappell was on 142 and Australia sitting pretty at 280 for 1.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara - 624 v South Africa, SSC, 2006
Twelve wickets fell in the first 54 overs of the Test but another 157 passed before the 13th. During that time Jayawardene and Sangakkara, who had come together with Sri Lanka on 14 for 2, compiled the largest partnership for any wicket in first-class cricket. South Africa had their chances - Sangakkara was dropped at gully and bowled off a no-ball - but paid dearly for not taking them. Having ended the first day on 128 for 2, Jayawardene and Sangakkara batted through the second, scoring 357 runs, without giving the bowlers a sniff of a wicket. Wisden reported that the exhausted batsmen recovered with a night of ice baths, rehydration salts and a relaxed Thai dinner with their wives. They came out ready to create history the next morning and went past Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama's 576, the highest partnership in Tests. After a fireworks display they broke Vijay Hazare and Gul Mohamed's 577-run stand in the 1946- 47 Ranji Trophy, the previous best in first-class cricket. Jayawardene made 374, Sangakkara 287, and they left Muttiah Muralitharan enough time to bowl South Africa out.

Graeme Wood and Craig Serjeant - 251 v West Indies, Guyana, 1978
The build-up to the third Test was marred by controversy when Clive Lloyd resigned as captain after the West Indian selectors made changes to the team that won the first two Tests. They dropped Desmond Haynes, Richard Austin and Deryck Murray, all of whom had World Series Cricket contracts. The changes, however, seemed to make little difference, for West Indies reduced Australia to 22 for 3 after setting a target of 359, more runs than either side had ever made in the final innings against each other. But two Western Australians, Wood and Serjeant, rose to the challenge and added 251 in four and a half hours. Both of them scored maiden Test centuries, and by the time they were dismissed, Australia needed only 69 to get, which they achieved with three wickets in hand.

Andy Flower and Murray Goodwin - 277 v Pakistan, Bulawayo, 1998
Zimbabwe's joy at gaining a first-innings lead was short-lived, for their top order was blow away by Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, leaving them 25 for 4, with an overall advantage of only 80. Their fortunes changed, however, when injuries prevented Waqar and Saqlain Mushtaq from bowling. Flower and Goodwin took advantage of the depleted attack and added 277 in 68 overs, which is still the national record for any wicket. Goodwin reached his first Test century and scored 63 off his next 43 balls as Zimbabwe pursued quick runs to set Pakistan a target.

Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener - 124 v Sri Lanka, Kandy, 2000
The pitch at Kandy had been tailored for turn but a couple of rainy days leading up to the match made Sanath Jayasuriya decide to give his bowlers first use of the surface. His decision paid off and South Africa crashed to 34 for 5. Boucher and Klusener consolidated with an attacking partnership of 124 - South Africa's best for the sixth wicket against Sri Lanka - and it played a crucial role in a seven-wicket victory, which levelled the series.

Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq - 115 v India, Karachi, 2006
Pakistan's top order was eliminated during a first-over hat-trick from Irfan Pathan, and their middle order succumbed to Zaheer Khan, leaving the innings in shreds at 39 for 6. What followed, however, must rank among the most audacious counterattacks in history. Pakistan were in no position to go on the offensive but Akmal did precisely that. He hit 18 fours in his innings and brought up his century off only 130 deliveries. Razzaq watched the breathtaking assault from the other end and contributed 45 to a 115-run stand that lifted Pakistan to 245 in a match they eventually won.

Saleem Malik and Saleem Yousuf - 94 v West Indies, Trinidad, 1988
Leading 1-0 in the series, Pakistan made a strong start in the second Test by dismissing West Indies for 174. Their advantage, however, vanished after Malcolm Marshall and Winston Benjamin ravaged the top order and left the innings teetering at 68 for 7. It could have gotten worse but Yousuf was dropped by Jeff Dujon on 3. Yousuf made use of the reprieve and spent two hours at the crease, supporting Malik during an eighth wicket partnership of 94. Malik batted nearly six hours for his 66 and helped Pakistan sneak a 20-run lead. It wasn't much but the partnership's importance was magnified after Pakistan clung on by one wicket to draw the game.

Asif Iqbal and Intikhab Alam - 190 v England, The Oval, 1967
Iqbal's valiant 146, in a ninth-wicket partnership of 190 with Alam, could not save Pakistan from defeat but it helped them avoid the humiliation of losing by an innings. Asif came to the crease with Pakistan on 53 for 7, needing 167 more to make England bat again. He reached his century in just over two hours, upon which, according to Wisden, fans invaded the field, hoisted Asif on to their shoulders and he had to be rescued by the police. Asif's partnership with Alam was a record for the ninth wicket at the time and he was the fourth batsman to make a century after coming in at No. 9.

Quintin McMillan and Bob Newson - 45 v England, Johannesburg, 1930
The partnership between McMillan and Newson, the debutant, seemed insignificant at the time compared to the carnage that preceded it. South Africa lost nine wickets for 81 before the last pair added 45 to extend the total to 126. South Africa, however, fought back in the second innings, wiping out a deficit of 67, and eventually bowled England out for 211 to claim a 28-run victory. The margin was 17 less that McMillan and Newson's last-wicket rearguard.

Click here for the full tables.

If there's a particular List that you would like to see, email us with your comments and suggestions.