Bravo fights after record Voges-Marsh stand
First, there is Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford. Then comes Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh. Such is the list of all-time Test record partnerships for Australia after Voges and Marsh put on 449 against an insipid West Indies in Hobart. It was the highest fourth-wicket stand in Test history, and the sixth-biggest of the near 70,000 Test partnerships that have ever been compiled. By only two runs did the 451-run Bradman-Ponsford stand against England at The Oval in 1934 survive in first place among Australian partnerships.
Those are the facts, but here is the truth: it would have been criminally misleading for Voges and Marsh to have moved into top spot. In terms of size it was Australia's second-greatest partnership, in terms of quality it was not even close. That is no slight on Voges and Marsh but on the class of the bowling. In Adelaide last month their fourth-innings stand was 400 runs lighter, but arguably more meaningful as they held off the swing of Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell to set up victory.