Here’s a list of some match-saving innings by tail-enders who showed resilience and determination under immense pressure to save their teams from certain defeat. These performances stand out because they involved batters not known for their batting skills, stepping up when it mattered the most.
1. Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar
- Match: England vs. Australia, Cardiff, 2009 (Ashes)
- Scenario: England was 233/9 in their second innings, leading by just 13 runs with more than 11 overs to play.
- Contribution: Anderson and Panesar survived 69 balls to save the match.
- Impact: Their heroic effort helped England escape with a draw, setting the tone for England’s eventual Ashes series victory.
2. Tino Best and Fidel Edwards
- Match: West Indies vs. India, St. John’s, 2006
- Scenario: West Indies was 9 wickets down with over 19 overs remaining.
- Contribution: The tailenders batted for nearly 19 overs, with Fidel Edwards facing 36 balls and Tino Best showing incredible resilience.
- Impact: Their effort secured a draw in a match that seemed lost, frustrating India.
3. Pat Symcox and Fanie de Villiers
- Match: South Africa vs. England, Johannesburg, 1995
- Scenario: South Africa was on the verge of defeat but needed to bat out the final day.
- Contribution: Symcox and de Villiers batted out more than two hours, saving the match for South Africa.
- Impact: Their determination helped South Africa secure a hard-fought draw.
4. Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee
- Match: Australia vs. England, Manchester, 2005 (Ashes)
- Scenario: Chasing 423, Australia was 354/9 with over four overs remaining.
- Contribution: McGrath and Lee batted for 24 balls, defying England’s bowlers and securing a dramatic draw.
- Impact: This effort kept the Ashes alive for Australia in one of the most memorable Test series in history.
5. Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar
- Match: India vs. West Indies, Dominica, 2011
- Scenario: India was 242/8 on the final day, with more than 20 overs left to play.
- Contribution: Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar batted out over 15 overs to deny the West Indies a victory.
- Impact: Their gritty stand helped India draw the match and win the series 1-0.
6. Dhananjaya de Silva and the Sri Lankan Tail
- Match: Sri Lanka vs. India, Delhi, 2017
- Scenario: Chasing a target of 410, Sri Lanka was reduced to 299/9 with plenty of time left on the final day.
- Contribution: Dhananjaya de Silva, batting with the tail, scored a resilient century, and the No. 10 and No. 11 helped survive enough overs to secure a draw.
- Impact: It was a remarkable effort by the tail to deny India a victory in difficult conditions.
7. Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando
- Match: Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Durban, 2019
- Scenario: Chasing 304, Sri Lanka was 226/9.
- Contribution: While Perera played a heroic 153*, Vishwa Fernando supported him brilliantly by surviving 27 balls for just 6 runs, helping Sri Lanka win by 1 wicket.
- Impact: This partnership remains one of the most iconic tail-ender contributions in cricket history.
8. Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon
- Match: Australia vs. Pakistan, Dubai, 2014
- Scenario: Australia was 9 wickets down and needed to bat through more than 20 overs to save the match.
- Contribution: O’Keefe and Lyon batted together for 16 overs, displaying incredible grit.
- Impact: Though Australia eventually lost, their effort delayed the inevitable and showed the spirit of the tail.
9. Shoaib Akhtar and Mushtaq Ahmed
- Match: Pakistan vs. South Africa, Durban, 1998
- Scenario: Pakistan was 9 wickets down and staring at defeat.
- Contribution: Shoaib and Mushtaq batted for nearly an hour to save the match.
- Impact: Their efforts frustrated South Africa and secured a remarkable draw for Pakistan.
10. Jack Leach and Ben Stokes
- Match: England vs. Australia, Headingley, 2019 (Ashes)
- Scenario: Chasing 359, England was 286/9.
- Contribution: While Ben Stokes played one of the greatest innings in cricket history (135*), Jack Leach’s iconic 1* off 17 balls was equally crucial, as he supported Stokes and kept the partnership alive.
- Impact: England won by 1 wicket in one of the most dramatic Test matches of all time.
Common Traits in These Innings
- Resilience: Tail-enders displayed incredible mental toughness.
- Support Role: While some partnered with top-order batters, others themselves became unlikely heroes.
- Defying Odds: These performances came under immense pressure, often against the best bowlers