Quickest Double centurions……. Almost 18 years gone still his record remains unbroken in test cricket…. Guess who????
                  Scoring a century is always a special moment for both batsman and audience. Each and every will celebrate their century in different way some remove their helmet, some players will show their bat to audience, some will give kiss to their helmet and some will say thank to god by seeing sky and some will kiss ground. But if a batsman score double century the celebration also will gets double. Scoring double ton is test matches is a dream for many batsman. Even few players scored triple to too and Brian Lara took one step more by scoring 400 runs in test matches. Have ever think of fastest test century??? It can became possible only if a batsman having attacking strategy in nature.
                 In this post we are going to see ad interesting list of test record. Batsman who scored fastest test double centuries. Just think of top five fastest test players whom you think will be in this list for sure. Then see the list and check your cricket knowledge…… Lets dive in to the ground…..
5. From 186 balls – Brendon Mccullum (New Zealand)
                  Brendon Mccullum, the kiwi batsman is one of the destructive batsman in cricket history. He played many boundary scoring fastest knock in One day matches. Even in test matches too. Its a test match between NZ and Pakistan in 2014 at UAE. Pakistan bat first and scored 351 runs. But New Zealand players smashed Pakistan bowlers and finish their first innings for 690 runs. Brendon Mccullum lost his wicket as second for NZ when team score was 348. But Brendon blew away Pak bowlers by scoring 202 runs from just 188 balls. He smashed 21 boundaries and 11 sixes. New Zealand won this by an innings and 80 runs.
In the same match Kiwi’s captain Kane Williamson scored 192 runs. Both Brendon and Kane together contributed almost 60% of NZ’s score.
2. From 182 balls – Virendra Sehwag (India)
                  Most dangerous batsman of all time Virendra Sehwag. For other players three format is there in cricket like Test, ODI and T20. But for Viru its just a match. He deals each format as same. He can smash first ball boundary in any format of game. As soon as seeing Viru’s name in this list everyone will thought its a match of Sehwag triple century. But Viru played few more blistering knock other than those two matches. Unfortunately he cant able to convert those double centuries as triple. Viru has scored double century in just 182 balls against Pakistan at Lahore in the year 2006. Shewag smashed 47 boundaries in this match. The match ends in draw.
3. From 168 balls – Virendra Sehwag (India)
                  Once again Virendra Sehwag name in this list. It wont be a surprise for Viru fans. Because Viru played many blistering knocks and reached centuries lesser than 100 balls in test matches. At the end of 2009 India played a test match against Sri Lanka at Mumbai. Virendra Sehwag treated Sri Lankan as like as Pakistan bowlers in 2004 and 2006. Everyone thought Sehwag gonna score one more triple century. Unfortunately he missed triple ton by just 7 runs. Virendra Sehwag scored 293 runs from 254 balls with 40 boundaries and 7 sixes. India posted a mammoth total of 726/9 at the end of their first innings and won the match by a margin of an innings plus 24 runs.
“There is nothing like spin bowling in cricket, because i’ll hit the ball before it pitches” – Virendra Sehwag about Spin bowling.
2. From 163 balls – Ben Stokes (England)
                 Recent addition in this list, England all-rounder Ben Stokes. Every star player will surpass some bad times in cricket history. Ben Stokes is one among them. After giving four sixes in T20 World cup finals against West Indies, Ben proved his ability in a test match against South Africa in 2016. England posted a big score of 629/6 in first innings after bat first. Ben Stokes scored a double ton of 258 runs from 198 balls with 30 boundaries and 11 sixes. Ben came to bat when England was 223/5. He played an unbreakable partnership of 399 runs along with Johnny Bairstow (150*).
          In the same match South Africa’s Hashim Amla scored 201 runs and the proteas replied back by scoring 627/7 at the end of first innings.
1. From 153 balls –Â Nathan Astle (New Zealand)
                   Nathan Astle, one of the most under rated player in world cricket. This Kiwi batsman opened many innings for his country. But this innings of Astle will be unforgettable one for New Zealand players and fans. In the year 2002 England visited New Zealand and played a test match at Christchurch. The visited scored only 228 runs in first innings. But they windup New Zealand for just 147 runs. With a lead of 81 runs England scored 468 more runs and set a unimaginable target of 550 runs. New Zealand condition became pathetic after losing its captain Stephen Fleming for 48 runs.Nathan Astle played at middle order in this match. Astle tried to save NZ with the help of bowlers. NZ lost their 9th wicket (333/9) when Astle was 134 runs 128 balls.Â
                  Kiwi’s Ex Allrounder Chris Cairns came as last batsman. Still 217 runs need to win. He put a solid partnership with Cairns and played 11 overs only. But scored 118 runs. Scoring 118 runs in 11 overs is still hard task in current T20 world. Astle crossed 100 to 150 runs in 22 balls and 150 to 200 in just 17 balls and became the fastest double centurion in test cricket surpassing 212 balls double ton by Adam Gilchrist.
Astle (222 runs from 168 balls, 28 fours and 11 sixes) scored second hundred in just 39 balls. That too in fourth innings of a test match.Â
New Zealand went all out for 451 runs and England won that match by a margin of 98 runs. Graham Thorpe was declared as man of the match for scoring 200 runs (231 balls) in 3rd innings.
Its almost 18 years gone still no one break this record created by Nasthan Astle. Do you think Who can break the record of fastest test double century by Nathan Astle in future??? Leave your answer at comment section….
               We have already posted an unique record of destructive batsmen in ODI…. Batsmen who scored maximum centuries less than 75 balls in ODI…. Click the below link to read…
Pic Courtesy :Â Google Images
If you like our site… Please press the blue colour “follow button” at the right side of this page…….