Although the first Test match between Australia and England was played in 1876, both nations’ cricketing folks started calling it the Ashes only in 1882. The Ashes Series boasts a rich history and is called the greatest rivalry in cricket.
This elite tournament is always known for its competitive nature and the intensity it never fails to deliver. One should look at the head-to-head stats of the Ashes to understand how close the tournament has been from its inception to date.
Owing to the longevity of the fierce and intense Ashes tournament, we decided to accumulate exciting Ashes records and stats on our website.
Here is the one that involves the opening partnerships, and we have listed down the highest opening partnerships in the history of Ashes.
Highest Opening Partnerships in The Ashes
| PARTNERS | RUNS | RESULT | INNS | YEAR | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoff Marsh - Mark Taylor (AUS) | 329 | AUS | 1 | 1989 | Nottingham |
| Jack Hobbs - Wilfred Rhodes (ENG) | 323 | ENG | 1 | 1912 | Melbourne |
| Jack Hobbs - Herbert Sutcliffe (ENG) | 283 | AUS | 1 | 1925 | Melbourne |
| Michael Slater - Mark Taylor (AUS) | 260 | AUS | 1 | 1993 | Lord's |
| Bob Simpson - Bill Lawry (AUS) | 244 | AUS | 1 | 1966 | Adelaide |
| Geoff Boycott - Bob Barber (ENG) | 234 | ENG | 1 | 1966 | Sydney |
| Chris Broad - Bill Athey (ENG) | 223 | DRAW | 1 | 1986 | Perth |
| Charlie Barnett - Leonard Hutton (ENG) | 219 | DRAW | 1 | 1938 | Nottingham |
| Graham Gooch - Mike Atherton (ENG) | 203 | DRAW | 2 | 1991 | Adelaide |
| Andrew Strauss - Alastair Cook (ENG) | 196 | ENG | 1 | 2009 | Lord's |
Stats Highlights
There are, in total, nine 200+ Opening partnerships in the Ashes history, and none of these has come in the 21st century, with the latest instance being in 1991.
Interestingly, most of these record-opening partnerships have come in away conditions. Only 3 of the above ten records have come in their home grounds.
Bob Simpson and Bill Lawry held the record for the highest Ashes opening partnership in the home ground when the Australian pair scored 244 in Adelaide in 1966. This same pair also holds the Australian record for the 1st wicket in Test.
Only one instance of a 200+ opening partnership has occurred in the second innings of an Ashes game – 203 by the England duo, Graham Gooch – Mike Atherton, when they were chasing a target of 472. The match ends in a draw, with England ending the Day-5 335/5.
The England opening pair – Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, has the most number of century partnerships at this position – 11. The duo also holds the partnership records for the most runs (2362) and best average (84.35) for any pair with more than three innings together. They have batted together in 29 innings – one less than the Slater-Taylor pair, who have batted together for the 1st wicket most times.
