The top orders found it tricky in the second Test between the West Indies and South Africa in Guyana, but both last wicket partnerships flourished to leave the sides one-run short of a world record.
On day one of the match, South Africa were almost routed by Shamar Joseph's first five-for on home soil, and they found themselves 97-9 shortly after Lunch. At risk of being bowled out for their lowest-ever score against the West Indies, the final wicket stand between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger ralied. They put on 63 runs off 107 balls before Burger was out lbw to Gudakesh Motie - the highest-ever partnership for the last wicket in Tests for South Africa against the West Indies, and the tenth highest for South Africa overall.
Following the end of South Africa's innings, they themselves started well with the ball, and by the end of play had the hosts seven down. The West Indies found themselves in a similar position to the one the Proteas had been in, and were 104-9 in the morning session of Day Two. However, just as he'd previously done in England, Joseph began to have some fun with the bat. He hit five boundaries, including a six, on his way to 25 off 27 balls, and put on 40 with Jason Holder.
World record missed by a run
Had Joseph or Holder scored one more run before Joseph was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj, the Test would've marked a world first.
In no previous Test in the history of cricket have both teams' tenth-wicket partnerships been the highest of their first innings. Piedt and Burger's partnership was the highest of South Africa's first innings, while Joseph and Holder's was the second-highest of the West Indies' first innings. The seventh wicket partnership between Holder and Motie was worth 41 runs, just one more than the tenth.
In fact, Holder and Joseph's partnership wasn't even West Indies' highest tenth-wicket stand against South Africa in men's Tests. It comes in at No.5 on that list, with Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul occupying the top spot with a partnership of 70, when Gayle came in at No.11 after a knee injury meant he couldn't bat at any earlier point in the innings.
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