NEW DELHI: Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul rewrote history books on Monday as the duo broke a 33-year old West Indies record for the opening partnership in Test cricket when they put on a mammoth 336-run stand during the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Ground.
The opening batters surpassed the previous record of 298 set by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes against England at St John’s way back in 1990.
It is the ninth highest opening partnership in Test history, a long way short of the overall record of 415 added by South Africa's Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2008.
Brathwaite, who hit his 12th Test century, scored 182 in the record opening stand with Chanderpaul, who was unbeaten on 207 on Day 3. West Indies declared their first innings at 447-6 after 143 overs.
It was a welcome return to form for Brathwaite, who made only 19 and three against Australia in his last Test, two months ago in Adelaide.
Rain meant just 89 overs were possible on the first two days of the match after West Indies had opted to bat, but the visitors accelerated the scoring on day three.
Wellington Masakadza finally broke the record partnership when Brathwaite was out leg before wicket while attempting a sweep against the left-arm spinner.
It was a small reward for the Zimbabwe bowlers who had toiled 114 overs before making the breakthrough.
Tagenarine, 26, is the son of former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul and now has a maiden Test century in his third match.
(With inputs from Agencies)
