Tino Best and Denesh Ramdin added 143 runs for the last wicket for West Indies against England at Edgbaston and in the process also broke some records. Here are the statistical highlights of their partnership.
Tino Best's 112-ball 95 is the highest-ever Test score by a No. 11 batsman. Best bettered the 75 scored by India's Zaheer Khan against Bangaldesh at Dhaka in December 2004. This was Best's first Test in almost three years and only the 15th of his career. Best's previous highest Test score was 27 made against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2005; while his previous highest first class-score was 51.
A single off Tim Bresnan saw Best - only called up to this tour as a replacement for injured fast bowler Shannon Gabriel - to fifty in 44 balls. Best jumped for joy and roared even as he kissed the badge of his maroon helmet in celebration.
Best became the first No. 11 in 106 years to score a Test fifty against England. The Barbadian had, though, registered the first half-century against England by a number 11 in 106 years. Only Australian Fred Spofforth (1885) and South African Bert Vogler (1906) had previously managed a half-century in the final batting position.
It was also the first Test half-century by any number 11 in England for 46 years since John Snow made 59 not out against West Indies at the the Oval.
Best fell only five runs short of his maiden century when he failed to read a Graham Onions slower delivery and holed out to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip. He walked off the field with disappointment etched large over his face despite playing a stupendous knock.
The 143-run partnership between Best and Denesh Ramdin for the tenth wicket is now the highest last-wicket partnership for West Indies, beating the 106 between Carl Hooper and Courtney Walsh against Pakistan at St. John’s, Antigua in May 1993. West Indies was all out for 426 in their first innings against England at Edgbaston.
Best and Ramdin's partnership of 143 is the third-highest for the last wicket in Tests behind the 151-run partnerships between New Zealand's Richard Collinge and Brian Hastings against Pakistan at Auckland in February 1973; and a similar stand between Azhar Mahmood and Mushtaq Ahmed of Pakistan against South Africa at Rawalpindi in October 1997.
Ramdin, who remained not out on 107, scored his second Test century. Both his Test tons have come against England, but the landmark at Edgbaston came more than three years after he had scored his maiden ton.
After reaching his century, Ramdin produced a piece of paper from his pocket on which the words "YEAH VIV TALK NAH" were written, in an apparent reference to criticism from former West Indies captain Viv Richards who is commentating for BBC Radio. Richards had said Ramdin had deteriorated as a cricketer.
Best's strike rate of 84.82 is the second-highest for a No.11 batsman for a fifty-plus score behind Pat Symcox's 128.57 during his 54 against Australia in 1998.
Reacting to Ramdin's jibe, the legendary Sir Viv Richards said, "I think I remember saying he'd lost his confidence, but I'm on the other side of the fence now and I'm here to do a job - there's no sentiment in it. I'm glad that he got the motivation from it." Richards also told Ramdin to make runs for a winning West Indies.
Best then capped off a remarkable and memorable day by dismissing Andrew Strauss and Jonny Bairstow to finish with figures of 12-2-37-2 at the end of the fourth day's play at Edgbaston.