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5 Highest Partnerships For England In Test Cricket

5 Highest partnerships for England in Test cricket [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]5 Highest partnerships for England in Test cricket [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]

England’s Test history boasts of some of the most remarkable partnerships. Numerous record-breaking stands, regardless of any wicket, have played a crucial role in shaping England’s cricketing legacy.

After Joe Root and Harry Brook mauled a hapless Pakistani unit in Multan in October 2024, here we take an updated look at five of the highest partnerships recorded by English batters in Test cricket.

5. Bill Edrich and Denis Compton – 370 runs for third wicket, 1947

After the drawn Test in Nottingham, English middle-order batters Bill Edrich and Denis Compton came out all guns blazing against a visiting South African team at Lord’s during their five-match series in June 1947. Forming forces at 96-2, the two cricketers plundered huge centuries to take their team past the 450-run mark without further casualty.

While Edrich flogged an authoritative 189, Compton top-scored in the innings with 208 alluring runs. Their colossal 370-run partnership was eventually broken by South African spinner Tufty Mann at 466-3. Regardless, their third-wicket defiance set up England’s emphatic 10-wicket win and a 1-0 lead in the second Test.

4. Leonard Hutton and Maurice Leyland – 382 runs for second wicket, 1938

In the final Test of the 1938 Ashes series, English opener Leonard Hutton shaped his career-best score of 364 by facing 847 deliveries during his 13-hour stay at the crease. After losing opening partner Bill Edrich early in the innings, Hutton forged 382 runs for the second wicket alongside number three batter Maurice Leyland.

Leyland himself pounded his best Test score of 187 in the innings to set up England’s 903-7d, the highest total in the format for nearly six decades until Sri Lanka smacked 952 in 1997 against India. The English bowlers went on to skittle Australia for scores of 201 and 123 as the hosts claimed a huge innings victory by 579 runs to level the Ashes.

3. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow – 399 runs for sixth wicket, 2016

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow compounded 399 runs from just 47.4 overs (286 balls) for the sixth wicket against South Africa in the drawn Test of Cape Town back in January 2016. Their middle-order belligerence lifted England from 223-5 to 622-6, and eventually to 629-6d until captain Alastair Cook called for a declaration.

Ben Stokes smeared 30 boundaries and 11 sixes during his record-breaking knock of 258 from 198 balls. Having reached his 200 from just his 163th delivery, the innings remains the second fastest double hundred in the history of Test cricket. Bairstow also whacked 150* from 191 balls with 18 boundaries and two sixes against the likes of Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada.

2. Peter May and Colin Cowdrey – 411 runs for fourth wicket, 1957

English captain Peter May belted an unbeaten 285 before selflessly declaring his team’s innings at 583-4d against West Indies during the 1957 Test match of Birmingham. Up against a 288-run deficit at the halfway stage of the game, the cricketer added 411 runs to the English total with fellow centurion Colin Cowdrey (154) after the hosts had slipped to 113-3.

Their collective batting brilliance not only saved the Test for England, but also helped them entertain thoughts of an unlikely victory before the drawn result.

1. Joe Root and Harry Brook – 454 runs for fourth wicket, 2024

Joe Root and Harry Brook – 454 runs for fourth wicket, 2024 (Source: @Johns/X.com)Joe Root and Harry Brook – 454 runs for fourth wicket, 2024 (Source: @Johns/X.com)

Legendary Englishman Joe Root and a young Harry Brook shattered individual, team as well as partnership records during their 454-run mayhem for the fourth wicket against Pakistan on the flatbed of Multan in October 2024. Moreover, the two cricketers did so at a brisk pace, as they faced just 519 balls combined to maintain a swift partnership run-rate of 5.24.

The two cricketers had formed their union at 249-3, shortly after the lunch break on Day 3, and ended up storming England past the 700-run mark by the following afternoon. Both Joe Root and Harry Brook notched up their career-best Test scores, with the former bashing 262 from 375 balls to list his 35th Test ton.

 Brook made 317 at nearly run-a-ball with 29 boundaries and three sixes as England amassed 823-7d from just 150 overs after conceding 556 to the hosts.