Joe Root and Jofra Archer did the unthinkable in the last hour of the opening day of the second Ashes Test. The duo not only batted out 44 deliveries but also smashed 61 runs for the 10th wicket stand to take England to 325 runs at stumps. In the process, they also replicated a 100-year-old feat.
When England lost their ninth wicket, the score was 264 and it was turning out to be another underwhelming outing for their batters despite Joe Root’s first-ever Test century in Australia. However, Jofra Archer had other ideas as he came out and swung his bat at everything to stitch an unbeaten 61-run partnership with Root. The duo took England to 325 runs for the loss of nine wickets at stumps and also replicated a 100-year-old Ashes feat with their partnership.
For the first time in 100 years in an Ashes Test in Australia, the 10th wicket partnership added 50 or more runs in the first innings of the game. It last happened in 1925 when Australia’s Arthur Mailey and Jack Ryder added 73 runs together for the last wicket to propel the team’s score from 416 to 489 at the Adelaide Oval.
Overall, Root and Archer replicated the feat after 43 years in an Ashes Test in Australia with Allan Border and Jeff Thomson being the last pair to notch up a fiftly-plus stand for the 10th wicket. They had added 70 runs at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test in 1982.
Last five instances of 50-plus 10th wicket partnerships in an Ashes Test in Australia
| Partners | Runs | Innings | Year |
| Jofra Archer, Joe Root (England) | 61* | 1 | 2025 |
| Allan Border, Jeff Thomson (Australia) | 70 | 4 | 1982 |
| NG Cowans, DR Pringle (England) | 66 | 3 | 1982 |
| RT Simpson, R Tattersall (England) | 74 | 2 | 1951 |
| AA Mailey, J Ryder (Australia) | 73 | 1 | 1925 |
England on top in second Ashes Test?
The partnership between Joe Root and Jofra Archer has certainly put England on top in the second Ashes Test as pink ball Tests in Australia have generally tend to be low-scoring. Moreover, no team has ever lost a day-night Test after scoring 300 or more runs in the first innings. Australia will have to bat extremely well in their first essay to stay ahead in the game now. However, they will have to break the 10th wicket partnership early on the second day.