Tino's knock is best
WEST Indies tailender Tino Best has surely played his way up the batting order after a record-breaking knock against England in the third Test at Edgbaston.
Best scored 95, the highest innings by a number 11 in Test history, and shared a last-wicket stand of 143 with Denesh Ramdin (107 not out), the third best in Tests and eight runs short of the world record.
The fast bowler, whose previous highest score in 23 Test innings was 27, smashed 14 fours and one six and while doing it, become the first number 11 to make a half-century against England for more than 100 years.
His record innings also improved his Test batting average from a humble 9.80 to 13.85 in a single knock.
Not a bad effort when you consider Best was playing his first Test since July 2009 and was only called into the squad because of an injury to fellow paceman Kemar Roach.
To complete a memorable day, Best took 2-37 in 12 overs as England reached 5-221 at stumps on day four in reply to the Windies total of 426.
Best said a documentary film about the great West Indies sides of the 1970s and 80s was behind his record knock.
"I have been been watching a lot of 'Fire in Babylon' and it's really inspired me," he said.
"My uncle Carlisle (Best) scored two hundreds against England and always wanted me to be a Test batsman. To fall five short, I know he's disappointed, but still happy I scored 95."
TOP SCORES BY A NUMBER 11 IN TEST CRICKET
- 95 Tino Best, West Indies v England, 2012
- 75 Zaheer Khan, India v Bangladesh, 2004
- 68* Richard Collinge, New Zealand v Pakistan, 1973
- 62* Albert Vogler, South Africa v England, 1906
- 61 Glenn McGrath, Australia v New Zealand, 2004
