Top 5 partnerships in Test cricket which came in a losing cause

Partnerships are always the key to a team’s victory in cricket. Over the years, there have been numerous partnerships in Test cricket which have gone down in the history books and have been crucial to a side's triumph.

However, there have been many big partnerships that have resulted in defeat for the respective team. Here are the 5 biggest Test partnerships in a losing cause.

---

#5 281- Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh against West Indies at Bridgetown, 1999

Ponting and Steve Waugh's brilliant partnership could not prevent Australia from losing an exciting Test against West Indies

Australia and West Indies were tied 1-1, when the Test series between the two teams shifted towards the third Test at Barbados. Australia batted first and were 144/4 when Ricky Ponting came in to join skipper Steve Waugh.

Both batsmen batted superbly and reached their respective centuries. The duo added 281 runs for the fifth wicket before Ponting was dismissed by Nehemiah Perry for 104. Waugh was later dismissed by Perry, falling a run short of his double-century. Australia ended their first innings at 490.

Some brilliant bowling by Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie gave the visitors a 161-run lead. However, Courtney Walsh’s sensational spell of 5/39 bundled the Aussies for a paltry 146 in the second innings.

The hosts needed 308 to win the match and were struggling because of the bowling efforts of McGrath and Gillespie again. However, Brian Lara carried the team on his shoulders and scored a magnificent 153, which saw the Windies through with one wicket left.

#4 283- Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe against Australia at Melbourne, 1925

A then world-record partnership between Hobbs and Sutcliffe came in a losing cause

Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe are one of the most saluted opening pairs in the history of Test cricket. Both have added 15 century stands but unfortunately, their highest partnership of 283 in 1925 ended in a losing cause.

It was the second Test of the Ashes and the venue was Melbourne. Australia batted first and scored 600, thanks to centuries from Bill Ponsford and Vic Richardson and fifties from Albert Hartkopf and Johnny Taylor.

In reply, England began brilliantly with Hobbs and Sutcliffe adding 283 for the first wicket, which was a world record at the time, bettering their previous record of 268, which came a year before. The partnership was broken after Hobbs was bowled by Arthur Mailey for 154. Sutcliffe was later dismissed for 179. The remainder of the England batting could not add much and England were dismissed for 479.

A spell of 6/99 by Maurice Tate restricted Australia to 250 in their second innings and the visitors were given a target of 372 to win. Sutcliffe scored a century in the second innings but the other batsmen were being tamed by Arthur Mailey and Jack Gregory and England were eventually dismissed for 290, giving the hosts a win.

#3 310- Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen against Australia at Adelaide, 2006

The second highest fourth wicket partnership for England came in a losing cause

After losing the first Test of the 2006-07 Ashes, England played Australia in the next match at Adelaide. England batted first and declared their innings at 551/6, thanks to a career-best 206 from Paul Collingwood and a 158 from Kevin Pietersen. The duo added 310 for the fourth wicket, which is the second highest fourth wicket partnership in England’s Test cricket history.

In reply, the hosts scored 513, thanks to fifties from skipper Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. In the second innings, Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath reduced England to just 129, giving Australia a target of 168 to win.

The Aussies comfortable chased down the target with 6 wickets to spare.

#2 359- Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al-Hasan vs New Zealand at Wellington, 2017

The highest partnership of 2017 sadly resulted in a loss for Bangladesh

The second spot in the list is held by a partnership which came not long ago. It was the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Wellington last January. Bangladesh batted first and scored a mammoth 595/8 in their first innings, thanks to a knock of 217 from Shakib al-Hasan and a 159 from Mushfiqur Rahim. The duo added 359 for the fifth wicket, which is the fourth highest partnership for the fifth wicket in Test history.

In reply, New Zealand scored 539, courtesy Tom Latham’s 177 and fifties from skipper Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls and Mitchell Santner. Bangladesh were bowled out for a paltry 160 in the second innings, giving the hosts a target of 217 to chase down.

New Zealand comfortably chased down the target, aided by Williamson’s century in the second innings. The partnership between Shakib and Rahim went on to be the highest partnership of 2017.

#1 363- Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf vs England at Leeds, 2006

The 363-run partnership between Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf is the highest partnership in Test history which came in a losing cause.It was the third Test between England and Pakistan in 2006 at Leeds. The hosts batted first and put 515 on the board, thanks to centuries from Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell, along with valuable contributions from the other batsmen.

In reply, Pakistan scored 538, aided by the centuries from Younis Khan (173) and Mohammad Yousuf (192). The middle-order duo added 363 for the third wicket. In the second innings, England scored 345, thanks to Andrew Strauss’ century and fifties from Marcus Trescothick and Chris Read.

Pakistan needed 323 to win but were skittled out for 155 after a display of some brilliant bowling from Sajid Mahmood and Monty Panesar. The partnership between Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf broke a 91-year old record for the highest partnership in Test history which came in a losing cause.