Greatest Cricket Moments

Hobbs and Rhodes Add 323 at Melbourne — Test Record, February 1912

1912-02-09Australia vs EnglandFourth Ashes Test, Melbourne, 9-13 Feb 19121 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Jack Hobbs (178) and Wilfred Rhodes (179) put on 323 for the first wicket at Melbourne, setting a Test record that stood for 22 years and remains England's highest opening partnership against Australia more than a century later.

Background

Hobbs and Rhodes had only opened together a handful of times before this match. Rhodes' transformation from spinner-tailender into Test-class opener is one of cricket's odder career arcs.

Build-Up

Australia batted first and were dismissed for 191. England's openers walked out late on day one already with the series in hand.

What Happened

Rhodes had begun his Test career at number eleven; the move to opening with Hobbs was one of Plum Warner's tour selections that paid off spectacularly. With the series safely at 2-1 in England's favour, the pair came together at Melbourne and methodically broke Australia. They batted through the first day and into the second, leaving the Australian attack of Hordern, Cotter, Whitty, Minnett and Macartney chasing leather. Hobbs was eventually out for 178 with the score 323; Rhodes added one more before being dismissed for 179. The stand was the highest for any wicket in Test cricket at the time. England won by an innings and 225 runs and went 3-1 up in the series.

Key Moments

1

Hobbs and Rhodes survive late on day one

2

Both pass fifty before lunch on day two

3

Hobbs reaches 178; out with the score 323

4

Rhodes dismissed for 179; partnership ends one short of 324

Timeline

Day 1

Australia all out 191; England openers come out

Day 2

Hobbs and Rhodes bat through to tea

Day 2 evening

Hobbs out 178, partnership 323

Day 4

England win by an innings and 225 runs

Notable Quotes

“Innings after innings they gave us a wonderful start.”

— Plum Warner on Hobbs and Rhodes

Aftermath

England won by an innings and 225 runs. The 323 stood as the Test record for any wicket until Bradman and Ponsford added 388 in 1934, and as the first-wicket record until Hutton and Washbrook in 1948.

⚖️ The Verdict

A first-wicket stand of 323 — England's highest opening partnership against Australia, then and now.

Legacy & Impact

The partnership is the founding moment of the Hobbs-and-Rhodes legend as an opening pair. Between 1910 and 1921 they opened 36 times for England with eight century stands, an average of 61.31 runs per partnership that remains among the highest in Test history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the record still held?▾
It remains England's highest first-wicket partnership against Australia in Test cricket more than a century later.
When was it broken as the all-wicket Test record?▾
Bradman and Ponsford added 451 for the second wicket against England in 1934 to surpass it.

Tags

#jack-hobbs#wilfred-rhodes#ashes#melbourne#1912#partnership-record#opening-pair

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