Jake Fraser-McGurk, the South Australia batter has etched his name in the history books after breaking AB de Villiers' record for the fastest century in List A cricket. He hammered a century off 29 balls against Tasmania at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide on Sunday.
Tasmania had earlier posted 435, which is the highest total in Australian domestic one-day cricket. Opening the batting in the run-chase, Fraser-McGurk brought up his century in the ninth over of the innings. In the process, he went past de Villiers' previous record of 31 balls which he had registered against West Indies in an international game at Johannesburg in 2015.
“I went out there with some good intent, had my plans and process, and seemed like everything went my way. I've made a few 30s playing in twos [2nd XI] and stuff, felt like I've been hitting them reasonably well but probably not that well so I definitely surprised myself,” said Fraser-McGurk after his record-breaking innings.
Fastest World Cup centuries ever: List of quickest WC tons
Jake Fraser-McGurk creates record
| Fastest List A Centuries (by balls played) | |||
| Record | Player | Match | Venue/Year |
| 29 balls | Jake Fraser-McGurk | South Australia v Tasmania | Adelaide 2023 |
| 31 balls | AB de Villiers | South Africa v West Indies | Johannesburg 2015 |
| 36 balls | Corey Anderson | New Zealand v West Indies | Queenstown 2014 |
| 36 balls | Graham Rose | Somerset v Devon | Torquay 1990 |
| 37 balls | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Nairobi 1996 |
Jake Fraser-McGurk only faced one ball in the first two overs of the chase but exploded in the third over with some serious ball-striking. He smashed Sam Rainbird's second over for 32 runs, with four sixes and two fours.
The 21-year-old completed his fifty off 18 balls to set a new record for the fastest half-century in Australia's one-day domestic competition. The record was previously held by Glenn Maxwell who had hit a 19-ball fifty.
It was also the fastest hundred at top-level cricket (including all first-class, List A and T20 games). The previous record was held by Chris Gayle, who had made a T20 hundred in 30 balls, in the 2013 IPL.
The youngster continued to rampage, hitting Bradley Hope for three sixes and a four in the seventh over. In the ninth over, he struck three consecutive sixes against Billy Stanlake. On the final two deliveries of the over, he hit a boundary and a single to bring up his century.
In the 10th over, he belted four consecutive fours and a six against left-arm orthodox Paddy Dooley. He was eventually dismissed in the 12th over, finishing with 125 off 38 balls, including 10 fours and 13 sixes.
His blistering innings had kept South Australia in the hunt for a record chase but they were eventually bowled out for 398 with 20 balls to spare.
This was Fraser-McGurk's first century at domestic cricket, having scored a fifty only once 50 in his 13 List A innings prior to this. In first-class cricket, he has passed 50 just once in 16 innings, while he is yet to hit a fifty in 24 T20 innings. Fraser-McGurk is a highly-rated talent and this innings could be the start of something special.
