Cricket: Tails hit upon a secret weapon

NZ No11 Trent Boult was involved in a 127-run stand with BJ Watling in Bangladesh in 2013. Photo / Getty Images

The 10th-wicket partnership appears to have become a clandestine weapon in test cricket in the past two years.

When teams are nine down, the unwanted but intoxicating cloud called complacency can float in.

Even the most ruthless teams can be guilty of assuming a white flag will rise up the opposition mast prematurely.

The minds of opening batsmen drift towards donning the pads, bowlers pine for the oasis of the physio table and those from the middle order might consider a game of cards, cup of tea, or ponder what the nutritionists have approved as athlete-friendly on the dining table.

That's when a cunning No11 can strike. Somehow they get their eyes in and start playing pace matter-of-factly as if to say to the top order, 'what's the big deal?'

Shots cannon down the ground, squeak through stacked slip cordons and squeeze behind square leg to get off strike early in the over.

Suddenly 50 runs are on the board and the momentum has swung more than the ball.

In 2014, the average 10th-wicket partnership rose to 17.82. The last time it was higher was in 1973 at 18.08.

That year's figure coincided with the record stand of 151 from Richard Collinge and Brian Hastings against Pakistan. That partnership held sway for 40 years - although Pakistan's Azhar Mahmood and Mushtaq Ahmed equalled it in 1997 against South Africa - until broken by Australia's Phil Hughes and debutant Ashton Agar with 163 against England at Nottingham. Agar's 98 remains the highest score by a No11.

New Zealand No11 Trent Boult also has a half-century and an average of 16.94 from 30 tests.

He has a penchant to clear his hip for the boundary and was involved in a 127-run stand with BJ Watling against Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2013.

That century stand is one of four involving No11s in the past two years. There have been only 26 century stands for the 10th wicket in all tests. Last year also marked the most 50-plus stands for the 10th wicket in a calendar year, with 11, culminating in a new record of 198 set between James Anderson and Joe Root against India at Nottingham in July.

Such performances make the days of Chris Martin's cult batting to 'earn' an average of 2.36 in 104 innings and pass 100 runs in his 60th test to a standing ovation at Seddon Park seem distant.