Partnership in Cricket — How Batting Partnerships Win Matches
What a batting partnership is in cricket, how partnerships are scored, the greatest partnerships in Test and ODI history, and the strategy behind batting together.
A batting partnership is the number of runs scored while two specific batters are together at the crease. Every time a wicket falls, the current partnership ends and a new one begins. Scorecards record every partnership — how many runs were scored, how many balls were faced, and which two batters contributed. Great partnerships are often what separate winning and losing teams.
How Partnerships Are Recorded
Partnerships are numbered by the wicket they represent: the 1st wicket partnership is between the two openers; the 2nd wicket partnership begins when the first opener is dismissed and a new batter comes in. A century partnership (100+ runs) is celebrated; a double-century partnership is exceptional. Partnerships are measured in the total runs scored while both batters were at the crease — both batter A's runs and batter B's runs combined.
Greatest Test Partnerships
The highest partnership in Test cricket is 624 — Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Colombo, 2006) for the 3rd wicket. Jayawardene scored 374 (his personal best and then a world record). Second all-time: 576 — Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka vs India, Colombo, 1997). In terms of famous partnerships for impact rather than size: VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's 376 in Kolkata 2001 (after following on 274 behind) saved India and produced a series win.
Opening Partnerships
The opening partnership is uniquely important — it sets the tone, faces the new ball when it is at its most potent, and decides whether a team starts positively or under pressure. The best opening partnerships in modern cricket: Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes (West Indies) averaged 47.32 per opening stand over 89 partnerships; Matt Hayden and Justin Langer (Australia) added over 5,000 opening Test runs together.
Frequently asked questions
Can a partnership involve three batters?
No — a partnership strictly records runs scored while the same two batters are together. When one is dismissed, the partnership ends regardless of how many runs the other batter subsequently scores.
What is an 'unbroken partnership'?
An unbroken partnership is one where both batters are still at the crease at the end of an innings (due to declaration, all overs completed, or the target being reached). Both are recorded as 'not out.'
Does a partnership include extras?
Yes — extras scored while two specific batters are at the crease count toward their partnership total.