Remembering Nathan Astle's devastating double century

Nathan Astle holds the record for the fastest double hundred in test cricket

For many batsmen, a double century is still a fantasy. But for Don Bradman and Kumar Sangakkara, scoring a double ton is just another day at the office. Too much talent, patience and skill, no wonder both of them has crossed this landmark score 12 and 11 times respectively.

But in ODIs, it’s a different scenario. You don’t have to face the prodigious swing of the red kookaburra nor have to fight with the cracks on the deteriorated pitches. But the number of balls is limited. You have to go at an insane strike rate to score 200 odd individual runs within 50 overs. At the age of 37, the ‘GOD of cricket’ demonstrated to the world how this remarkable feat is accomplished. And then Rohit Sharma, the hitman of India made it his hobby.

Way back in 2002, one of the greatest New Zealand batsman of all time, Nathan Astle showed that the limits of possibility are far more beyond than one could imagine. In the 1st test against England at Christchurch, he struck a devastating 222 off 168 deliveries – the fastest double ton in the history of test cricket till date.

What makes this marathon innings special is that it came long before the T20 era and that too in a format known for its sluggish pace. It wasn’t as ‘classy’ as Tendulkar’s 200* nor was as lucky as Rohit’s 264. It was simply a manifestation of brutal and devastating power-hitting.

4702 test runs at an average of 37 and 7090 ODI runs from 223 matches, Nathan Astle was born on 15th September 1971 in Christchurch, Canterbury. He made his ODI debut against West Indies in 1995 and it didn’t take too long before he established his place in both formats of the game.

His splendid hand-eye-co-ordination made him one of the best slip catchers in the world. On various occasions, he has chipped in with his medium-paced bowling and has a career total of 154 wickets to his name. He is also the 2nd highest run-getter for the Kiwis in ODIs.

Let’s go back to 16th march 2002 when Astle produced one of the greatest knocks ever in the history of test cricket. It was his day, a day when Nathan John Astle could do nothing wrong.

The ‘Big show’

In a pitch which offered considerable seam movement, both English and Kiwi batsmen struggled in their first innings, scoring totals of 228 and 147 respectively. It was a concerted bowling effort from the part of the Kiwis whereas England’s Mathew Hoggard single-handedly ripped the New Zealand batting line-up apart with figures 7-63.

But the Poms flew even higher in their 2nd innings on the wings of Graham Thorpe’s magnificent 200* and declared the innings at 468. Adding to the first innings lead of 81, New Zealand were asked to chase a daunting target of 550 with almost 2 days remaining in the match.

After the fall of the wicket of Mark Richardson, Nathan Astle walked into the crease when the New Zealand scoreboard read 119-3. A long way to go, it was just a matter of survival for the Kiwis at that time.

But Astle had a different plan. He began the show with a cold-blooded cut shot. His hand-eye-co-ordination was so exceptional that a wide swinging good length delivery was driven through the covers for a boundary with little foot movement. England was actually pleased to see the attacking intent of Astle, as they set a more attacking field around him, which in turn gave him further license to stand and deliver.

When England realized that swing alone can’t beat the Kiwi, they began to try the shorter stuff. But Astle was in no mood to leave or duck anything. He pulled and hooked everything that came in his way. Some shots were awkward and edged, but there had been no luck for England, as the deep fine leg was a spectator most of the time.

While Astle made a mockery of the English bowling attack, England’s pacer Andrew Caddick continued his destruction from the other end. New Zealand went from 189/4 to 333/9 in no time with Caddick claiming 6 scalps. Kiwis were still 216 runs behind and England smelled victory.

Astle crossed the double hundred mark in 153 deliveries

But the real carnage was yet to begin. It was Astle’s day, a day when he could do nothing wrong. With a hook shot, he reached his hundred off just 114 balls. And it marked the beginning of one of the most exhilarating counter-attack ever in the history of the game.

Astle knew that with a defensive mindset his team won’t survive. His partner, Chris Cairns was injured and Astle decided to take the entire burden on himself. Meanwhile, England took the new ball to put an end to New Zealand’s resistance.

However, what followed was destruction at its fierce best. England’s top fast bowlers Hoggard and Caddick were sent all over the park as Astle scored his next 50 in just 22 balls. The 4-over old new red ball seemed frightened as it didn’t come back after it was hit over the roofs.. But Astle had no intention to stop. He danced down the track, smashing boundaries and sixes at his will.

Caddick, the man who took 6 wickets in the innings, was hammered for 7 consecutive boundaries, out of which 5 of them were over the ropes. Astle nailed everything that was thrown at him with staggering power. He spared no one. Hoggard was hammered for a volley of boundaries. Andrew Flintoff was punished for massive sixes. England captain Nasser Hussain looked clueless as it was an unprecedented display of clean hitting!!

With a paddle sweep off Ashley Giles, Astle reached the milestone in just 153 balls. His 2nd hundred came in scarcely believable 39 deliveries as New Zealand cruised towards an incredible victory. The required runs came down to 2 digit figures. With his insane hitting, Astle gave life to a match which turned to be a dead rubber after the England’s 2nd innings.

As the crowd and fielders were watching this slaughter holding their breath, something divine happened. I think England players’ prayers reached God in time as Astle poked at a full-length wide delivery of Hoggard which ended in the gloves of James Foster. There was a sudden silence in the crowd and England players thronged around Hoggard in jubilation. It wasn’t a great delivery by Hoggard but surely was a magical one. It had the divine touch to prevent the unstoppable Astle from achieving the most successful run-chase in the history of cricket.

New Zealand were bowled out for 451 and England’s tribulation came to an end. Though Kiwis lost the game this match will always be remembered as one of the most enthralling 2nd innings chases ever and all its credit goes to the lone warrior, Nathan Astle. Though he couldn’t produce a fairy tale ending to the fastest test double hundred, his name will be there in the record books for a long time to go.