Fastest ever Test century for England: Brendon McCullum fastest Test century

Fastest ever Test century for England: The English batter has registered the second-fastest Test century for an England cricketer.

During the fifth day of the second Test of the ongoing New Zealand’s tour of England in Nottingham, England batter Jonny Bairstow has brought up a whirlwind century to keep his team’s hopes alive for sealing the highest run-chase at this venue.

Coming in to bat at No. 5 in the 16th over after the substantial loss of former captain Joe Root (3), Bairstow never looked in the mood of playing a defensive innings in a bid to secure a dull draw.

Playing in front of a sellout Trent Bridge crowd, Bairstow took the opportunity of entertaining one and all including millions watching from across the world.

Bairstow, who played a lovely drive off New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult to score his first boundary in the 18th over, scored another one off Tim Southee in the 23rd over. Having received an apt and able company in captain Ben Stokes, the pair hit quite a few boundaries before the tea break.

As a result, needing 160 runs off 38 overs in the evening session. Bairstow, who kick-started the third session by hitting consecutive boundaries off Matt Henry, hit as many as three fours and five sixes in no time to instantly enter white-ball mode leaving the visitors clueless.

Brendon McCullum fastest Test century

It is worth mentioning that former New Zealand captain and current England head coach Brendon McCullum holds the record for scoring the fastest Test century.

It was in his last Test match that McCullum had registered a 54-ball Test century eventually scoring 145 (79) with the help of 21 fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 183.54 against Australia in Christchurch six years ago.

Fastest ever Test century for England

It was on the third delivery of the 42nd over when Bairstow ran three tuns off Southee to bring up his ninth Test century. In what is Bairstow’s third Test century at home and in 2022, it is his second against New Zealand and first at No. 5 and at this venue.

Balls	Batter	Opposition	Venue	Year
76	Gilbert Jessop	Australia	The Oval	1902
77	Jonny Bairstow	New Zealand	Trent Bridge	2022
85	Ben Stokes	New Zealand	Lord’s	2015
86	Ian Botham	Australia	Headingley	1981
86	Ian Botham	Australia	Old Trafford	1981