Barbadian bowler makes Test history

Barbadian bowler makes Test history
Tom Hevezi

Barbadian fast bowler Tino Best astonishingly struck the highest score by a number 11 in Test history.

The right-handed Best, playing his first Test in three years, smashed an entertaining 95 before falling agonizingly short of a century to help propel West Indies to all out on a rain-affected third and final Test at Edgbaston last week.

Resuming the day on 280 for eight, West Indies lost Ravi Rampaul to the third ball of the morning, caught off lanky pacer Steven Finn (3-109) without adding to his overnight two at 283 for nine, paving the way for the fireworks that followed.

Best started quietly before coming to life with a pair of thumping cover-driven boundaries off Finn in the day’s third over.

Best continued to entertain the English and West Indian fans with boundaries off the English fast bowlers.

Best belted pacer Tim Bresnan (3-111) to move to 49 before taking a single to begin celebrating his first ever Test 50.

Meanwhile, wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin dropped by Kevin Pieterson on 69 at 326 for nine, played second fiddle to Best and later moved into the 90s and raised the century partnership. He eventually reached his landmark with a single to backward square off Bresnman. At the end he was l07 not out.

Best continued his remarkable innings and seemed set for a memorable Test century when Graham Onions deceived him with a slower ball for captain Andrew Strauss to take the skied catch running back from slip. The final day was washed out by rain.