Tail-Enders in Cricket: Role, Records and Famous Last-Wicket Stands
Cricket tail-enders are the lower-order batters (No. 8–11) who are primarily bowlers. Learn about their role, last-wicket partnership records, and the art of 'batting with the tail.'
The cricket batting order is divided into top order (1-3), middle order (4-7), and the 'tail' (8-11). Tail-enders are primarily bowlers or all-rounders who bat late. Their contribution can be crucial — a partnership between a recognized batter and the tail can save or win matches.
What is the batting tail?
Batting positions 8, 9, 10, and 11 form the tail. These players are selected for their bowling or wicketkeeping skills. Their batting contributions are a bonus. When a team is at 7 wickets down, the 'recognized' batters are exhausted; anything from 8-11 onwards is considered tail-end batting.
Last-wicket partnership records
| Runs | Partnership | Match | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 198 | Azhar Ali & Sarfraz Ahmed | PAK vs WI, Dubai | 2016 |
| 195 | Misbah-ul-Haq & Mohammad Asif | PAK vs India, Bangalore | 2007 |
| 195 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Mohammed Shami | IND vs NZ, Kanpur | 2016 |
| 163 | Waqar Younis & Mushtaq Ahmed | PAK vs WI, Kingston | 1993 |
Farming the strike
When a recognized batter is batting with the tail, a key strategy is 'farming the strike' — ensuring the recognized batter faces as many balls as possible while keeping the tail-ender away from the bowling. This involves rotating strike at the end of overs, taking singles off the last ball, and placing the tail-ender at the non-striker's end. Captains set fields specifically to prevent farming by offering easy singles to expose the weaker batter.
Famous tail-end performances
Jim Laker (England) scored 37 and took 9/37 and 10/53 in the same Ashes Test. Shane Warne scored three Test fifties. Mitchell Johnson's batting was famously unreliable but he contributed vital runs in several matches. Nathan Lyon scored a career-saving 38* in the 2019 Headingley Test that almost won Australia the match (Stokes scored 135* to deny them).
Frequently asked questions
What is a tail-ender in cricket?
A tail-ender is a player batting in positions 8-11 — primarily a bowler who bats. Their batting is a bonus; their value is their bowling or wicketkeeping.
What is the record last-wicket partnership in Test cricket?
The record last-wicket Test partnership is 198, set by Pakistan's Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed against West Indies in Dubai in 2016.
What does 'farming the strike' mean?
Farming the strike means a recognized batter deliberately keeps the strike away from the tail-ender, taking singles late in overs to shield the weaker batter from most deliveries.