5 times a No. 11 saved a Test for his team

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One of the most fundamental differences between limited overs cricket and Test cricket is that a match that cannot be won must not necessarily be lost.

Even if all seems lost and the 4th innings winning target too far away, the last wicket can buckle down to force a draw. That said, the last wicket pair comprising of the number 11 hardly ever manages to do so and that is why it takes a special effort for the last man in to save a Test for his country.

Throughout the history of Test cricket, only a handful of games have been saved by the last wicket and on each occasion, the opposition has ended up feeling hard done by.

After all, no one expects the worst batsman in the side to put up much of a resistance. Here is a look at 5 of those occasions when the number 11 put up stern resistance and helped his team to victory against all odds.

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5 Monty Panesar somehow survives at Auckland, 2013

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Having dominated England in the 3rd Test of the series in Auckland, New Zealand set the visitors an improbable target of 481 in the 4th innings. England's sole purpose was to somehow survive in excess of 140 overs in order to save the Test. They reduced England to 237-7 and it looked like the end was near.

Although wicketkeeper Matt Prior along with the tailenders offered stiff resistance, New Zealand seemed to have the game wrapped up when they got the wickets of Stuart Broad and James Anderson in quick succession.

Around three overs were left and everyone expected last man Monty Panesar to roll over. In the company of Prior, Panesar defended stoutly and lasted 20 minutes for his 2 runs off 5 deliveries to save the Test for England.

That said, each of those deliveries was an ordeal for him as New Zealand had put 9 men around the bat. 

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