Published 22:44 IST, January 2nd 2020
Throwback: Graeme Smith & Herschelle Gibbs' (then) record opening partnership sinks Pak
Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs were involved in a then record-opening partnership of 368 against Pakistan at Cape Town in 2003.Gibbs top-scored with 228
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Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs have been two of the best as well as the finest batsmen to have played for South Africa at the highest level. The duo has also helped in laying a solid foundation for the Proteas and each of them has also played some splendid knocks and won a lot of matches for the country.
However, both Gibbs and Smith were also involved in what ended up being the highest opening partnership in Test cricket for a while.
Gibbs & Smith's highest opening partnership in Tests
This had happened when South Africa had hosted Pakistan in second of the two-match Test series at Cape Town which was played from January 2 to 5 2003. The Proteas had already won the previous Test convincingly and Pakistan had to win this one to keep the series alive on what was a forgettable tour for them.
Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs took the Pakistani bowlers to the cleaners after having won the toss and deciding to bat first. The bowling line-up led by skipper Waqar Younis were simply clueless against the opening duo. The duo added 368 runs for the opening wicket. Smith was the first one to be dismissed after having scored 151 while Gibbs went on to score 228.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had posted the same on social media on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of this event.
Even the fans showed a lot of enthusiasm after having gone through the post. They came forward and mentioned the opening stand that overhauled Smith-Gibbs previous best a few years later.
That 368-run stand between Smith and Gibbs against Pakistan continued to be the highest opening stand for a while before the duo of the then vice-captain Virender Sehwag and captain Rahul Dravid stitched in a 410-run stand against the same opposition at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium in January 2006. That partnership remains the highest opening stand in red-ball cricket to date.
SA register yet another convincing win
After having won the first Test by 10 wickets, it was once again a walk in the park for the Proteas as they out-batted the opposition. The Proteas declared their innings at 620/7.
In reply, Pakistan were skittled out for 252 with only opener Taufeeq Umar managing a century (135). The follow-on was enforced on the visitors and they could do nothing exceptional in the second innings as well as they have bundled out for 226 with Umar yet again top-scoring for the Waqar Younis-led side with 67 as South Africa won by an innings and 142 runs to win the series 2-0.
22:44 IST, January 2nd 2020