A partnership is more than two individual totals added together. The way two batters manage each other’s time at the crease can shape the rhythm of an innings.

Watch the conversation Between deliveries, players have opportunities to share what they are seeing. As a spectator, you cannot know the contents of every discussion, but you can notice what changes afterwards: a different guard, a new scoring option or a more selective approach.

Follow both ends A batter’s quiet over can be easier to understand when you watch what is happening at the other end. Avoid assuming that both players need to score in the same way for the partnership to be effective.

Observe before judging Choose a short passage and follow the pair as a unit. Note changes in tempo and who faces which bowler. The aim is to recognise how the contest develops, not to assign a motive to every single run.