Partnership in Cricket
What a batting partnership means in cricket — how partnerships are recorded, the numbered wickets they represent, and record partnerships across formats.
What Is a Batting Partnership?
A batting partnership is the runs scored by two batters together during their time at the crease. Partnerships are numbered by the wickets — the 1st-wicket partnership is between the two openers, the 2nd-wicket partnership involves whoever is batting after the first wicket falls, and so on up to the 10th-wicket partnership.
How Partnerships Are Recorded
Scorecards record each partnership: the two batters involved, the runs scored, and the balls faced. A partnership ends when either batter is dismissed, retires, or play is halted. The partnership total includes all runs scored — including extras — while those two batters were at the crease together.
Why Partnerships Matter
Partnerships are the building blocks of a cricket innings. A large partnership stabilises a team's position, occupies time in Test cricket, and reduces the required run rate in chases. Conversely, a string of short partnerships — a batting collapse — often leads to low totals.
World Record Test Partnerships
| Wicket | Partnership | Batters | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 415 | Tillakaratne Dilshan & W. Jayawardene | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2004 |
| 2nd | 576 | Sangakkara & Jayawardene | Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2006 |
| 3rd | 624 | Mahela Jayawardene & Thilan Samaraweera | Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2006 |
| 10th | 163 | Wasim Akram & Saqlain Mushtaq | Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 1997 |
Century Partnerships
A century partnership (100+ runs) is a significant milestone in any format. In Tests, century partnerships for the top six wickets are routine at international level; in T20s, a 100-run opening stand can be match-winning. Lower-order partnerships exceeding 50 runs are often described as 'priceless' or 'invaluable' contributions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest partnership in Test cricket history?
The highest partnership in Test cricket is 624 runs for the 3rd wicket, between Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera for Sri Lanka against South Africa at Colombo in 2006.
How is a partnership counted in cricket?
A partnership is the total runs scored (including extras) while two specific batters are at the crease together. It starts when the previous wicket falls and ends when the next wicket falls or play stops.