4 Highest partnerships in ODI by the Associate batsman against the Test nation
Associates have always been an integral part of world cricket and as Hong Kong displayed an impeccable performance the other night in their match against India, the Associates can put up a strong fight against the best teams in the world in the limited overs format. The decision of ICC to limit the number of teams to 10 in the World Cup next year now appears debatable.
While many claim that most matches between Associates and Test playing nations turn out to be one-sided affairs, there are many instances where they've been proved wrong. Let's have a look at the top four highest partnerships the Associate batsmen have had against the test nations.
#4 Kevin O'Brien -Alex Cusack (IRE) 162 runs Vs England in 2011 WC
The match was played at Bengaluru during the 2011 World Cup where Ireland (then Associate nation) took against England in the group stage. Chasing a stiff target of 328, Ireland were reduced to 111/5. Kevin O'Brien along with Alex Cusack resurrected the Irish innings by building a 162-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
The partnership was highly dominated by O'Brien as he made 96 out of the 162 runs whereas Cusack contributed with 47 runs. Pulling off an unlikely victory from an almost impossible situation, O'Brien also recorded the fastest hundred ever in World cup history achieving the feat in just 50 deliveries. He ended up scoring 123 off 63, hitting 13 boundaries and 6 sixes and was adjudged the Man of the Match.