Awful openers and terrific ones
The best and worst average opening stands in Test and ODI series
Travis Basevi and George Binoy
16-Dec-2009
Tim McIntosh endured four failed opening partnerships before sharing two half-century stands with BJ Watling in the Napier Test • Getty Images
Before BJ Watling and Tim McIntosh added 60 and 90 for the first wicket in Napier, New Zealand's opening partnership had lasted a total of 21 balls in four innings through the series against Pakistan. In both innings in Dunedin, McIntosh and Martin Guptill were separated before either had scored, and they managed only 1 and 4 in Wellington. Several thousands of miles away, the Indian openers were pillaging the Sri Lankan attack. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir added 14, 81 and 233 in the first two Tests, while Murali Vijay joined Sehwag for a 221-run stand in the third. So this week, we've dug up series that featured the lowest and highest average opening partnerships.
Pakistan tried four opening combinations during the home Test series against West Indies in 1990-91. None of them withstood the hostile forces of Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop and Courtney Walsh. Shoaib Mohammad and Ramiz Raja opened in Karachi and added 2 and 15, with Ramiz being the first to fall both times. He was dropped for the Faisalabad Test and a debutant, Saeed Anwar, was Shoaib's new partner. Anwar made a pair in stands of 1 and 0 and did not play another Test until 1994. Ramiz was back in the XI for the final Test in Lahore but Aamer Malik was now Shoaib's opening partner. However, this time it was Shoaib who fell for a duck in the first innings, with two runs on the board, and Ramiz was back opening in the second innings, this time with Malik. And Malik was out for a duck, with no runs on the board. Pakistan's opening stand added 20 runs in six innings (15 came in one innings), and the average of 3.33 is the lowest for the first wicket in any series with a minimum of five innings.
| Team | Series | Season | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | Ave | High | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | v West Indies | 1990/91 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 3.33 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | v England | 2006 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 3.83 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| West Indies | v Sri Lanka | 2001/02 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 5.33 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | v India | 1999/00 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 5.40 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| England | v South Africa | 1905/06 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 59 | 5.90 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| Pakistan | v West Indies | 1986/87 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 39 | 6.50 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| New Zealand | v Pakistan | 1993/94 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 6.66 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Zimbabwe | v Pakistan | 1993/94 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 6.80 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | v New Zealand | 1983/84 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 6.83 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| South Africa | v England | 1912 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 45 | 7.50 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| West Indies | v Pakistan | 1958/59 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 7.80 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | v South Africa | 1993 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 8.00 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | v India | 2008 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 8.00 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | v England | 1888 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 51 | 8.50 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| New Zealand | v West Indies | 1984/85 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 60 | 8.57 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Zimbabwe | v Pakistan | 1994/95 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 8.60 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | v England | 1926 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 52 | 8.66 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| New Zealand | v South Africa | 1994/95 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 54 | 9.00 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Pakistan | v Australia | 1989/90 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 9.00 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| India | v Australia | 1999/00 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 55 | 9.16 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
The openers of both teams struggled during India's tour of Australia in 1999-2000, and the hosts fared worse than the visitors. Either Greg Blewett or Michael Slater fell early in all three Tests, and their opening stands were worth only 27 runs at an average of 5.40. They never went past 10. It didn't impact the outcome of the series, though, for the middle order weighed in and India were whitewashed 3-0. Blewett's time was running out, and after poor performances in the first two Tests in New Zealand, the age of Matthew Hayden began. He was soon to be joined by Justin Langer, after Slater's career ran out of steam in 2001. It's incredible that India's opening stand averaged 9.16 - nearly four runs more than Australia's - on that tour. Devang Gandhi, Sadagoppan Ramesh, VVS Laxman and MSK Prasad were the men facing the new ball and they added 55 runs in six innings with a best of 22 at the SCG. Laxman did the bulk of the scoring on his way to a memorable 167. Gandhi and Prasad never played after that tour, while Ramesh played only 10 more Tests.
Incidentally, right before India toured Australia, Pakistan made a trip there for three Tests, and the Blewett-Slater opening partnership averaged 114.50 in five innings. Together they added 458 runs in all, with one century and two half-century stands. Their best effort was 269 in the first innings of the opening Test in Brisbane.
Unlike the beginning of the 2000s, the decade ended far more productively for India's openers. Gambhir, Sehwag and Vijay plundered 549 runs for the first wicket against Sri Lanka at an average of 137.25 and a scoring rate of 5.47 per over. That series doesn't make our list, though, because India batted only four times, one innings fewer than our qualification.
| Team | Series | Season | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | Ave | High | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 694 | 138.80 | 301 | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| West Indies | v Australia | 1983/84 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 684 | 136.80 | 250 | 3 | 1 |
| India | v Pakistan | 2005/06 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 487 | 121.75 | 410 | 1 | 0 |
| England | v Australia | 1926 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 712 | 118.66 | 182 | 3 | 3 |
| Australia | v Pakistan | 1999/00 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 458 | 114.50 | 269 | 1 | 2 |
| Australia | v South Africa | 2001/02 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 570 | 114.00 | 219 | 2 | 2 |
| Pakistan | v New Zealand | 1976/77 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 435 | 108.75 | 147 | 2 | 1 |
| England | v India | 1990 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 652 | 108.66 | 225 | 3 | 0 |
| Australia | v South Africa | 1935/36 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 721 | 103.00 | 233 | 3 | 2 |
| South Africa | v West Indies | 2004/05 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 698 | 99.71 | 245 | 3 | 1 |
| England | v South Africa | 1924 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 498 | 99.60 | 268 | 2 | 1 |
| England | v Sri Lanka | 2002 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 393 | 98.25 | 168 | 1 | 3 |
| Australia | v New Zealand | 2001/02 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 481 | 96.20 | 224 | 2 | 0 |
| India | v New Zealand | 1955/56 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 571 | 95.16 | 413 | 1 | 1 |
| West Indies | v India | 1982/83 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 566 | 94.33 | 296 | 1 | 2 |
| Pakistan | v Sri Lanka | 1985/86 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 375 | 93.75 | 98 | 0 | 4 |
| Australia | v India | 1967/68 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 654 | 93.42 | 191 | 3 | 3 |
| England | v Australia | 1970/71 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 995 | 90.45 | 171 | 5 | 3 |
| Sri Lanka | v Pakistan | 2000 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 447 | 89.40 | 335 | 1 | 1 |
| Australia | v West Indies | 2005/06 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 536 | 89.33 | 231 | 1 | 4 |
The highest opening-partnership average for a series in which a team batted at least five times is South Africa's mean of nearly 139 against West Indies in 2003-04. Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs set the tone for the four-Test contest by adding 149 runs in the first innings in Johannesburg. Their association in the second innings, however, was cut short by a ball from Vasbert Drakes that Gibbs top-edged on to his nose, breaking it, which led to him retiring hurt. He returned for the second Test, showing no ill effects of the injury, and reeled off another century. Smith and Gibbs went on to total 694 runs in first-wicket partnerships in seven innings, including a massive 301 in the final Test in Centurion.
The lowest first-wicket average in an ODI series belongs to New Zealand. During a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Sharjah in 1996-97, New Zealand opened with Nathan Astle and Craig Spearman in the first three games and they added a total of 15 runs. They tried Bryan Young and Spearman in the last league game but both openers were dismissed for 2. For the final, against Pakistan, they opened with Mark Greatbatch, playing his penultimate ODI, and Young, but he was bowled by Wasim Akram with the score on seven. New Zealand's openers added 24 runs for the first wicket in five innings, with a best of 8 in the entire series.
| Team | Series | Season | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | Ave | High | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 4.80 | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Sri Lanka | 5.60 | 14 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Scotland | 5.60 | 19 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| West Indies | 6.20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| New Zealand | 7.20 | 25 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 7.80 | 13 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Pakistan | 8.00 | 15 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 8.20 | 14 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| New Zealand | 8.50 | 20 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Pakistan | 8.50 | 30 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| New Zealand | 8.60 | 28 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| New Zealand | 8.80 | 21 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 8.80 | 28 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| South Africa | 9.00 | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Pakistan | 9.60 | 27 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| West Indies | 9.70 | 54 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 10.00 | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Pakistan | 10.00 | 21 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 10.16 | 33 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| New Zealand | 10.20 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
One of the highlights of South Africa's disastrous World Cup campaign at home in 2003 was their opening partnership. They used Gibbs-Gary Kirsten and Gibbs-Smith in three matches each, and they scored a total of 441 runs - two century and two half-century stands - at an average of 110.25 in six innings. It's the best first-wicket average for any team in a World Cup.
| Team | Series | Season | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | Ave | High | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | v India | 1983/84 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 390 | 130.00 | 149 | 2 | 1 |
| India | Standard Bank Triangular Tournament | 2001/02 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 711 | 118.50 | 258 | 3 | 1 |
| Pakistan | v New Zealand | 2003/04 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 590 | 118.00 | 197 | 4 | 0 |
| South Africa | ICC World Cup | 2002/03 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 441 | 110.25 | 142 | 2 | 2 |
| New Zealand | v England | 2007/08 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 406 | 101.50 | 165 | 2 | 2 |
| India | v New Zealand | 2008/09 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 391 | 97.75 | 201 | 1 | 2 |
| England | NatWest Series | 2005 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 523 | 87.16 | 192 | 2 | 1 |
| West Indies | ICC Champions Trophy | 2006/07 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 522 | 87.00 | 164 | 2 | 1 |
| Australia | Carlton Series | 2000/01 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 782 | 86.88 | 206 | 2 | 5 |
| India | Wills World Series | 1994/95 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 425 | 85.00 | 144 | 3 | 1 |
| Zimbabwe | President's Cup | 1997/98 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 506 | 84.33 | 161 | 3 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | v England | 2006 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 406 | 81.20 | 286 | 1 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | Asia Cup | 2004 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 392 | 78.40 | 191 | 1 | 2 |
| South Africa | Coca-Cola Cup | 1999/00 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 233 | 77.66 | 168 | 1 | 0 |
| Pakistan | v Zimbabwe | 2002/03 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 387 | 77.40 | 159 | 2 | 1 |
| South Africa | v India | 1999/00 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 385 | 77.00 | 235 | 1 | 1 |
| New Zealand | Videocon Triangular Series | 2005/06 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 385 | 77.00 | 204 | 2 | 1 |
| Australia | ICC World Cup | 2006/07 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 761 | 76.10 | 172 | 3 | 5 |
| Zimbabwe | v Kenya | 2009/10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 370 | 74.00 | 127 | 2 | 1 |
| Bangladesh | v Zimbabwe | 2006/07 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 369 | 73.80 | 104 | 1 | 3 |
If there's a particular List you would like to see, email us with your comments and suggestions.
The List will be taking a two-week break and will be back on January 6
George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo