Tristan Stubbs and Temba Bavuma, on Friday, November 29, recorded the highest fourth-wicket partnership for South Africa in Tests against Sri Lanka with a 249-run stand. The duo made the record in the opening Test of the series at the Kingsmead in Durban. Stubbs and Bavuma broke the record of 192 set by AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis back in 2012 at the Newlands in Cape Town.
Stubbs and Bavuma hit twin centuries to make sure that the Proteas set Sri Lanka a mammoth target of 516 to chase down. Their partnership is also the fourth-highest fourth-wicket stand against the Islanders in Test cricket. Back in 2019, Travis Head and Joe Burns put on 308 runs in Canberra, and they hold the record.
Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh’s 258-run stand at Pallekele in 2011 remains second in the list. The third spot is held by the pair of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly who put on 256 runs for the fourth wicket back in 1997 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Stubbs and Bavuma did not look rusty at any stage of their innings. The duo made sure that South Africa gave Sri Lanka the third-highest target ever set in Durban in Tests. Stubbs made 122 runs off 221 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes.
Bavuma, on the other hand, missed out on a century in the first innings. But he made amends in the second. The skipper made 113 runs off 228 balls, laced with nine fours. Vishwa Fernando dismissed Stubbs while Asitha Fernando got the better of Bavuma.
South Africa declared their innings at 366 for five in 100.4 overs in their second innings. South Africa are currently placed fifth in the table with 52 points and a point’s percentage of 54.17. India and Australia are first and second in the list.
