New Zealand’s Chad Bowes blazed his way into cricket history books by smashing the fastest double century in List A cricket during Canterbury’s Ford Trophy clash against Otago at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The hard-hitting opener reached the milestone in just 103 balls, breaking previous records held by India’s Narayan Jagadeesan and Australia’s Travis Head, who both took 114 balls.
A Display of Pure Batting Brilliance
The explosive start saw Bowes race to his fifty in 26 balls before reaching his century in 53 deliveries, narrowly missing Ross Taylor’s record for the fastest hundred in the competition by four balls. His extraordinary innings, studded with 27 boundaries and seven towering sixes, powered Canterbury to an imposing total of 343/9 after being sent in to bat.
The masterclass proved too much for Otago to handle, as they crumbled under pressure and were bundled out for 103, handing Canterbury a crushing 240-run victory. Bowes’ double hundred marked a significant milestone in Ford Trophy history, making him the first player to achieve this feat since Jamie How’s 222 for Central Stags in the 2012/13 season.
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Breaking Records and Setting New Standards
The remarkable innings surpassed Bowes’ previous List A best of 126, adding another feather to his cap that includes representing New Zealand in international cricket. His record at the highest level includes 99 runs from 6 ODIs and 187 runs across 11 T20 internationals.
The achievement puts Bowes at the top of an elite list of fastest double centuries in List A cricket:
- Chad Bowes (103 balls)
- Travis Head (114 balls)
- Narayan Jagadeesan (114 balls)
- Ben Duckett (123 balls)
- Jamie How (126 balls)
- Ishan Kishan (126 balls)
- D’Arcy Short (128 balls)
- Glenn Maxwell (128 balls)
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This extraordinary performance by Bowes has not only set a new benchmark in List A cricket but has also carved his name into the record books, creating a moment that will be cherished by cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
