Stats: Brendon McCullum's exploits; a look at fastest fifties, centuries and doubles

November 27, 2014, is one of the saddest days in the history of cricket: Phillip Hughes passed away, and cricket matches across the world, broadly speaking, were suspended for the day as a mark of respect. Normal duties were resumed on Friday morning, but it was a day where achievements and victories took a backseat. Amidst all these, Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum scored the fastest century by a New Zealander in Tests. He reached the achievement off 78 balls, thereby eclipsing his fellow teammate Ross Taylor’s 81-ball century against Australia at Hamilton in 2010.

In the process, he also became the second fastest Kiwi to score a half century in Tests after Tim Southee’s 29-ball knock against Englishmen on his debut, at Napier in 2008. Come Saturday, he reached his double century off just 186 balls, the fourth fastest ever in Test cricket behind Nathan Astle and Virender Sehwag (twice). In this article, we look at all the fastest fifties, centuries and double centuries in terms of batting positions, for and against each teams.

Fastest fifties by batting position

Position	Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
1	Chris Gayle	28	80*(46)	WI	NZ	Port of Spain	6/20/2014
2	Shahid Afridi	26	58 (34)	Pak	Ind	Bengalaru	3/27/2005
3	Richie Richardson	35	106 (160)	WI	Aus	Adelaide	2/4/1989
4	Jacques Kallis	24	54 (25)	SA	Zim	Cape Town	3/4/2005
5	Misbah ul Haq	21	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
6	Ian Botham	28	66 (48)	Eng	Ind	Delhi	12/24/1981
7	Foffie Williams	28	72	WI	Eng	Bridgetown	1/23/1948
8	Bruce Yardley	29	74	Aus	WI	Bridgetown	3/17/1978
9	Kapil Dev	33	59 (48)	Ind	Pak	Karachi	11/15/1978
10	Tim Southee	29	77 (40)	NZ	Eng	Napier	3/26/2008
11	Shane Shillingford	25	53*(29)	WI	NZ	Kingston	6/11/2014

* McCullum’s fifty is the joint 2nd fastest at #2 with T Dilshan at 30 balls

* Richarson remained not out on 39* at the close of play on 4 April and completed his half century on 5 April morning session.

* Botham remained 47* at the close of play on 24 December and completed his 50 on 26 December as the Christmas Day in between was rest day * The 2nd and 3rd fastest 50 at #5 – Mohammed Ashraful (26 balls) and Yousuf Youhana (27 balls). Both batsmen were dismissed for a golden duck in the first innings and scored fifties while following on.

Fastest centuries by batting position

Position	Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
1	Chris Gayle	70	102 (72)	WI	Aus	Perth	12/17/2009
2	David Warner	69	180 (159)	Aus	Ind	Perth	1/13/2012
3	Viv Richards	56	110 (58)	WI	Eng	St John's	4/15/1986
4	Jack Gregory	67	119	Aus	SA	Johannesburg	11/12/2024
5	Misbah ul Haq	56	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
6	S Chanderpaul	69	100 (72)	WI	Aus	Georgetown	4/10/2003
7	Adam Gilchrist	57	102*(59)	Aus	Eng	Perth	12/16/2006
8	Daniel Vettori	82	127 (98)	NZ	Zim	Harare	8/7/2005
9	Ray Lindwall	89	100 (90)	Aus	Eng	Melbourne	1/7/1947
10	Abul Hassan	106	113 (123)	Ban	WI	Khulna	11/21/2012

* McCullum’s century is the joint 3rd fastest at #2 with Sehwag (vs WI, St Lucia, 2006) after David Warner (69 balls) and Majid Khan (74 balls).

* The highest score by a #11 in Test cricket is 98 by Ashton Agar.

Fastest double centuries by batting position

Position	Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
1	Virender Sehwag	182	254 (247)	Ind	Pak	Lahore	1/14/2006
2	Virender Sehwag	168	293 (254)	Ind	SL	Mumbai	12/3/2009
3	Brian Lara	241	216 (262)	WI	Pak	Multan	11/20/2006
4	Kevin Pietersen	250	226 (262)	Eng	WI	Leeds	5/25/2007
5	Nathan Astle	153	222 (168)	NZ	Eng	Christchurch	3/16/2002
6	MS Dhoni	231	224 (265)	Ind	Aus	Chennai	2/24/2013
7	Adam Gilchrist	212	204*(213)	Aus	SA	Johannesburg	2/22/2002
8	Wasim Akram	329	257*(363)	Pak	Zim	Sheikhapura	10/18/1996

* McCullum’s double century is the second fastest at #2 position.

Fastest fifties for each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
Bruce Yardley	29	74	Aus	WI	Bridgetown	3/17/1978
M Ashraful	26	67 (41)	Bang	Ind	Mirpur	5/27/2004
Ian Botham	28	66 (48)	Eng	Ind	Delhi	12/24/1981
Kapil Dev	33	59 (48)	Ind	Pak	Karachi	11/15/1978
Tim Southee	29	77 (40)	NZ	Eng	Napier	3/26/2008
Misbah ul Haq	21	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
Jacques Kallis	24	54 (25)	SA	Zim	Cape Town	3/4/2005
T Dilshan	30	92 (72)	SL	NZ	Galle	8/18/2009
Shane Shillingford	25	53*(29)	WI	NZ	Kingston	6/11/2014
Andy Blignaut	33	50 (38)	Zim	Pak	Harare	11/10/2002

* McCullum’s fifty is the second fastest for NZ.

Fastest centuries for each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
Adam Gilchrist	57	102*(59)	Aus	Eng	Perth	12/16/2006
Tamim Iqbal	94	103 (100)	Ban	Eng	Lord's	5/30/2010
Gilbert Jessop	76	104	Eng	Aus	The Oval	8/13/2002
Kapil Dev	74	163 (165)	Ind	SL	Kanpur	12/22/1986
M Azharuddin	74	109 (77)		SA	Kolkata	11/28/1996
Brendon McCullum	78	153*(145)	NZ	Pak	Sharjah	11/28/2014
Misbah ul Haq	56	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
AB de Villiers	75	129 (112)	SA	Ind	Centurion	12/18/2010
M Jayawardene	81	150 (115)	SL	Ban	Colombo (SSC)	9/7/2001
Viv Richards	56	110 (58)	WI	Eng	St John's	4/15/1986
Neil Johnson		107 (117)	Zim	Pak	Peshawar	11/28/1998

* The fastest century by a Zimbabwean recorded in terms of balls faced is Brendan Taylor’s 117-ball century against New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2011. However, Neil Johnson’s final analysis during maiden Test century was 107 off 117 balls; therefore, in all probability, he must have reached his century in less than 117 balls.

Fastest double centuries for each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
Adam Gilchrist	212	204*(213)	Aus	SA	Johannesburg	2/22/2002
Mushfiqur Rahim	320	200 (321)	Ban	SL	Galle	3/10/2013
Ian Botham	220	208 (226	Eng	Ind	The Oval	7/9/1982
Virender Sehwag	168	293 (254)	Ind	SL	Mumbai	12/3/2009
Nathan Astle	153	222 (168)	NZ	Eng	Christchurch	3/16/2002
Yousuf Youhana	243	204 (243)	Pak	Ban	Chittagong	1/17/2002
Herschelle Gibbs	211	228 (240)	SA	Pak	Cape Town	1/2/2003
Aravinda de Silva	229	206 (234)	SL	Ban	Colombo (PSS)	7/22/2002
Chris Gayle	221	333 (437)	WI	SL	Galle	11/15/2010
Guy Whittall	355	203 (359)	Zim	NZ	Bulawayo	9/25/1997

* McCullum’s double century is the 2nd fastest for New Zealand.

* Aravinda de Silva didn’t play another Test. He joined Andy Sandham, Bill Ponsford, Seymour Nurse and Jason Gillespie as the players who scored a double century in their last Test.

Fastest fifties against each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
Misbah ul Haq	21	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
Sanath Jayasuriya	35	89 (56)	SL	Ban	Colombo (SSC)	9/6/2001
Foffie Williams	28	72	WI	Eng	Bridgetown	1/23/1948
Shahid Afridi	26	58 (34)	Pak	Ind	Bengalaru	3/27/2005
Shane Shillingford	25	53*(29)	WI	NZ	Kingston	6/11/2014
Kapil Dev	30	59 (48)	Ind	Pak	Karachi	11/15/1978
B McCullum	30	153*(145)	NZ		Sharjah	11/28/2014
Yousuf Youhana	27	50 (29)	Pak	SA	Cape Town	1/4/2003
Hansie Cronje	31	82 (63)	SA	SL	Centurion	3/30/1998
Bruce Yardley	29	74	Aus	WI	Bridgetown	3/17/1978
Jacques Kallis	24	54 (25)	SA	Zim	Cape Town	3/4/2005

Fastest centuries against each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
Misbah ul Haq	56	101*(57)	Pak	Aus	Abu Dhabi	11/2/2014
M Jayawardene	81	150 (115)	SL	Ban	Colombo (SSC)	9/7/2001
Viv Richards	56	110 (58)	WI	Eng	St John's	4/15/1986
David Warner	69	180 (159)	Aus	Ind	Perth	1/13/2012
Majid Khan	74	112	Pak	NZ	Karachi	10/30/1976
Brian Lara	77	216 (262)	WI	Pak	Multan	11/21/2006
Jack Gregory	67	119	Aus	SA	Johannesburg	11/12/2024
Kapil Dev	74	163 (165)	Ind	SL	Kanpur	12/22/1986
Shahid Afridi	78	122 (95)	Pak	WI	Bridgetown	5/28/2005
Daniel Vettori	82	127 (98)	NZ	Zim	Harare	8/7/2005

* McCullum’s century today is the second fastest against Pakistan in Tests after Brian Lara’s 77-ball century at Multan in 2006.

Fastest double centuries against each team

Player	Balls	Final Score	For	Vs	Venue	Date
MS Dhoni	231	224 (265)	Ind	Aus	Chennai	2/24/2013
Aravinda de Silva	229	206 (234)	SL	Ban	Colombo (PSS)	7/22/2002
Nathan Astle	153	222 (168)	NZ	Eng	Christchurch	3/16/2002
Ian Botham	220	208 (226	Eng	Ind	The Oval	7/9/1982
Graham Thorpe	231	200*(231)	Eng	NZ	Christchurch	3/15/2002
Virender Sehwag	182	254 (247)	Ind	Pak	Lahore	1/14/2006
Virender Sehwag	194	319 (304)	Ind	SA	Chennai	3/27/2008
Virender Sehwag	168	293 (254)	Ind	SL	Mumbai	12/3/2009
Kevin Pietersen	250	226 (262)	Eng	WI	Leeds	5/25/2007
Gary Kirsten	251	220 (286)	SA	Zim	Harare	9/7/2001

* McCullum’s double century is the 2nd fastest against Pakistan.