The record for the fastest double ton in first class cricket, held by Ravi Shastri’s 123-ball show for Mumbai against Baroda in 1985, was equalled on Sunday by 19-year-old Aneurin Donald of Glamorgan in a match against Derbyshire in Division two of England’s County Championship. The teenaged Donald, who had never even scored a century before this, was finally dismissed for 234 off 136 balls.
Donald had come in to bat with the score at 96/3, and left after the score read 437/7, the unexpected blitzkrieg from the youngster leaving Derbyshire bowlers shellshocked. His innings contained 15 sixes and 26 fours. As his innings finally came to an end, Derbyshire players rushed to applaud what they had just seen. Not many would have been aware of the historical significance of a 123-ball 200, but they could all tell they had seen a special innings.
Donald’s innings had the touch of the cavalier as well – he reached the landmarks of 100, 150 and 200 with sixes. His second hundred came off just 43 balls.
Shastri’s record, which has a peer now, had come in the same innings in which he had hit six sixes off the same over, another much storied feat in cricket history. He would be pleased to have his record equalled by Donald, who is known as a special cricketer in the county circuit. He is tipped to be the first Welsh player to to represent the full England side since Simon Jones’ role in the 2005 Ashes.
Aneurin Donald told BBC Wales Sport, "It was a good wicket, the bowlers were getting a bit tired and it's a small ground, so it's about making the most of it. I knew the highest score was here [Glamorgan's record of 309 not out by Steve James] so obviously there's a good history.”
He was humble enough to account for other factors when complimented on his massive innings, but was also intrepid enough to say that he could easily have broken the fastest 200 record instead of just equalling it had he known that he was closing in on such a feat.
"You don't get too many days like this and it was nice to make the most of it. I didn't know [about the fastest all-time double-century] until I walked off. I would have tried to get it a bit earlier."
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