de Villiers records the fastest ODI ton ~ who made the very first One ??

In the inaugural match of 1975 World Cup (which was ODI No. 19), England opener  Dennis Leslie Amiss amassed 137 runs as England made 334 for 4 in allotted 60 overs.  India lost by 202 runs – making 132/3 in 60 overs as Gavaskar crawled to 36 not out in 174 balls.  Chris Old blasted a 30 ball 51.  Before you read further, do you know what was the first Century in One Day Internationals and who scored it ? 

Some just for criticising without knowing the statistics, used to crib that if Sachin Tendulkar scores a century, Indian team would lose.  Today, Rohit Sharma made a fine century that went in vain.  The seemingly inexorable push towards playing a day-night Test this year continued at the MCG on Sunday, when Channel Nine and Cricket Australia conducted a broadcast trial with pink balls. Australia appear almost certain to host the inaugural day-night Test against New Zealand in November, with Adelaide Oval and Bellerive Oval in Hobart the most likely venues.  On a day when Australia and India each had a dominant opener - Rohit Sharma made 138 and Aaron Finch 96 - the difference between the sides was Mitchell Starc. Starc's 6 for 43 broke India though it was a reasonable target of 268 and Indian bowlers faltered and bowled poorly.   Rohit Sharma built the innings and phased his so well making 138 off 139 balls.  Suresh Raina's 51 was the only other contribution of significance ~ and India lost.

Almost a year back Corey Anderson finished unbeaten on 131 against the West Indies taking mere 36 deliveries to reach his century becoming the fastest centurion beating the  record set by Shahid Afridi. The burly New Zealander hit 14 sixes. Today at New Wanderers, 3 South African batsmen - Amla, Rossouw and de Villiers - registered centuries in the same innings the first time in an ODI.  Amla scored an unbeaten 153, Rossouw scored 128 and De Villiers smashed a 44-ball 149. On a day when many records tumbled, De Villiers took just 40 minutes and a mere 31 balls to record his century.   He needed only 19 minutes to reach his fifty. De Villiers also recorded the fastest ODI fifty off just 16 balls, overtaking Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, who held the previous record, scoring 50 off 17 deliveries against Pakistan in 1996. Villiers also equalled the record of India's Rohit Sharma for most sixes by a batsman in an ODI with 16 hits over the fence.

As you could see De Villiers and SA team wore pink - in support of breast cancer awareness at the Momentum One-Day International at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, 18 January 2015.  Many spectators also wore pink expressing solidarity. 

Now getting back to ODI tons, the first ever century was made by Dennis Amiss (103) against Australia in ODI no. 2 in 1972 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Amiss (134 balls, 161 minutes, 9 fours) completed the first century at this level off 130 balls in the 46th over. He shared the first hundred partnership with Fletcher, the pair addind 125 in 86 minutes (26.4 overs).  The next one was by Roy Fredricks in 1973 against England.   For Srilanka, it was Roy Dias in 1982 and for India, it came only at Turnbridge Wells on 18^th June 1983 when Kapil Dev made that epic 175 not out from 17/5 at one stage.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

18^th Jan 2015.