It helped Blackwell that his partner during the best part of his innings also happened to be England's seniormost player. Whilst encouraging Blackwell to play his natural game, Alec Stewart himself settled down to exploit the gaps in the field that the younger man's muscular hitting had opened up. Thus in the course of record 107-run partnership for the seventh wicket, Stewart managed to glean 35 precious runs. When Stewart was out in the 49th over, he and Blackwell had set England well on course for their eventual score of 269.