|
| The Top Ten Slowest Hundreds in ODI Cricket History |
The slowest 100 in ODI cricket history is an intriguing list of some of the greatest batsmen to ever grace the game. There are many who have played for a long time and scored plenty of runs, but only a select few have achieved this feat at a snail's pace. In this blog post, we will take a look at the top ten slowest 100s in ODI cricket history and the players who achieved them. Read on to find out who these players are and why they were able to score so slowly.
The List of Top Ten Slowest 100s in ODI
1: David boon vs. India, 1991
David Boon is one of the most prolific batsmen to have ever graced the game of cricket. He was particularly known for his slow, yet steady approach to batting. This approach was on full display in a match between India and Australia in 1991 when Boon scored an impressive 102 off a total of 168 balls. His innings took a remarkable seven and a half hours to complete, making it the slowest ODI 100 ever scored at the time.
Boon’s knock included just Eight boundaries, with the majority of his runs coming from singles and twos. His slow and steady approach helped Australia survive a difficult situation, As a result, Australia completed India's target of 176 runs.
Although Boon’s innings was slow, it was also extremely effective. He showed great skill and patience in sticking with his plan and eventually delivering a victory for his team. It was a performance that has since gone down in cricketing history, cementing David Boon’s place as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
2: Ramiz Raja vs. West Indies, 1992
In 1992, Pakistani batsman Ramiz Raja achieved a remarkable feat when he scored a hundred against the West Indies in an ODI match. It was a special innings, one of the slowest 100 in ODI cricket history, taking him nearly four hours to reach his century.
Ramiz began his innings in a steady manner, going at a slow rate and accumulating runs through singles and doubles. He started cautiously, defending good balls and leaving the bad ones alone, while keeping the scoreboard ticking. As he moved along, he started to build partnerships and settled into his innings.
His knock featured some of the most classical shots in the book, such as drives, pulls, and cuts. While it wasn’t the most flamboyant innings, it was certainly effective as Ramiz kept the bowlers at bay with some crafty batting.
Ramiz eventually reached his hundred in 157 deliveries, with a shot off Curtly Ambrose that sailed over extra cover for four. It was an innings of grit and determination and showed just how important it is to bat long and wear down the bowlers.
It may not have been the most spectacular innings but it was certainly one of the slowest 100s in ODI history.
3: Geoff Marsh vs. England, 1989
In 1989, Geoff Marsh scored a slow yet steady century against England in a One Day International match. Marsh's innings of 111 off 162 balls was his 7th ODI hundred and he became the first Australian to achieve this milestone. The game was played in Melbourne and Marsh played for over six hours, batting through a challenging situation.
Marsh started his innings cautiously and it took him 15 overs to get off the mark. He took another 12 overs to reach the 50-run mark. England had a great bowling attack which included Sir Ian Botham and Robin Smith, who were able to put a lot of pressure on Marsh's batting.
Marsh then went into a shell and the run rate dropped significantly. In the end, he scored 111 off 162 balls which at that time was the slowest hundred ever recorded by an Australian batsman. It was also the slowest hundred in any ODI match until that point.
Despite his slow pace, Marsh showed tremendous concentration and perseverance throughout his innings. He displayed patience and resolute determination to keep his wicket intact. His innings not only helped Australia to win the match but also demonstrated how important it is to keep focus and bat through a difficult situation even when the runs don't come easy.
4: Ramiz Raja vs. Sri Lanka, 1990
In 1990, Ramiz Raja scored a century against Sri Lanka in the 10th match of the Benson & Hedges World Series. The match was played at Adelaide in the Australia and Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field first.
Pakistan got off to a good start with opener Saeed Anwar and Ramiz Raja taking their side to 233 for 1 in 42 overs. Then Ramiz Raja went into a shell and along with Saleem Malik, He finished on 107 not out off 154 balls, with 3 fours only, as Pakistan put up a total of 315 for 3 in 50 overs.
The Sri Lankan bowlers did well, with Asoka De Silva taking 2 for 57 and Rumesh Ratnayake taking 1 for 38. In the end, however, it wasn't enough as Sri Lanka lost by 27 runs.
Ramiz Raja's slow century was one of the slowest hundreds scored in ODI cricket history. His innings is remembered as an example of how patience and concentration can win a game despite slow scoring.
5: Scott Styris vs. Sri Lanka, 2007
In 2007, Scott Styris produced one of the slowest centuries in ODI cricket history. On the 10th of December, Styris faced off against Sri Lanka and batted for an impressive almost 300 minutes, scoring 111 runs off 157 balls in the process.
Despite a slow start, Styris’ inning was characterized by a number of well-timed boundaries as well as a few unorthodox strokes that helped him reach his hundred. He played a total of 8 fours, and also had a few plays and misses throughout the match.
Throughout the match, Styris managed to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers with his cautious approach, but still managed to score briskly at times. Although he struggled to find any kind of rhythm, the innings ended up being one of the longest by any batsman in ODI cricket history.
6: Tom Cooper vs. Afghanistan, 2010
Tom Cooper's 101 runs dismissed against Afghanistan in the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division One was the sixth slowest century ever recorded in ODI cricket. He scored his 100 off a whopping 151 balls, with only Nine fours. This was one of the most laborious centuries ever recorded and shows how difficult it can be to score quickly in international cricket.
Netherland set a target of 203 runs for afghanistan with tom cooper playing an outstanding role. They were struggling to set a good target until Cooper came in at number three. He built a solid partnership with Tom de grooth as they managed to make a good score. Cooper played a patient innings, carefully constructing his hundred with some well-timed singles, doubles and occasional boundaries. It took him 151 balls to get there, making it one of the slowest hundreds of all time.
Cooper's century did not win netherland but his inning is slowest odi 100s. His tenacious display of batting will go down in history as one of the slowest hundreds ever recorded.
7: Geoff Marsh vs. West Indies, 1991
In a match that lasted over four and a half hours, Geoff Marsh scored an unforgettable hundred against West Indies in 1991. Marsh came to the crease as an opener, with Australia needing 252 runs target to win.
The Australian opener played with determination and patience, negotiating the dangerous West Indian bowling attack with ease. Marsh batted for a total of 158 deliveries, hitting just 8 fours and no sixes. His innings was slow but steady, as he compiled a score of 106 off 158 balls.
The West Indian bowlers bowled tight line and length throughout the innings, making it difficult for Marsh to score freely. However, his patience paid off as he reached the three figure mark off a Pull shot off the last delivery of the day. It was a remarkable effort from the Aussie batsman, who held his nerve to take Australia home.
8: David Hemp vs. Kenya, 2009
David Hemp's slowest hundred in ODI cricket was recorded in the 20th match of a ICC World Cup Qualifier 2009 between Kenya and Bermuda, which took place at Potchefstroom in South Africa on April 6, 2009.
Batting first, Bermuda lost two wickets early and were struggling at 77/2 in the 23rd over. David Hemp then joined the crease and played an incredibly slow innings to get his team past the 200-run mark. He ended up scoring an unbeaten 102 off 152 deliveries. This was easily the slowest hundred of his career, with a strike rate of only 67.10. His innings also included just 9 boundary, singles and doubles.
Apart from Hemp, no other batsman scored more than 30 in the innings as Bermuda could only manage 259/5 in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Kenya chased down the total in the 45th over for the loss of three wickets.
This was the first and only hundred of David Hemp's ODI career, and it will be remembered for its extreme slowness. It is also the 8th slowest hundred ever scored in an ODI match.
9: Shai Hope vs. India, 2019
On December 15, 2019, West Indies batsman Shai Hope made history when he scored his second hundred in One Day International (ODI) cricket. His hundred, which came off 149 deliveries, was the slowest ever recorded by a West Indian in an ODI match against India.
Shai Hope, who opened the batting for West Indies, started cautiously as India’s bowlers bowled a tight line and length. He had to battle for almost two hours to reach his fifty and kept the scoreboard ticking with occasional boundaries. The West Indian batsman was not out for a well-made hundred, with 7 fours and 1 six to his name.
This innings was not only the slowest century ever scored by a West Indian in ODI cricket, but also the slowest by any batsman against India. His 149 deliveries were more than any other batsman against India in an ODI, surpassing David Hemp’s record of 152 deliveries against Kenya in 2009.
It is commendable that despite being in pressure situations and facing quality bowling, Shai Hope managed to keep his composure and carry his bat throughout the innings to bring up a special hundred. His remarkable innings helped West Indies post a respectable run chase and eventually win the match by 8 wickets.
10: David Boon vs. West Indies, 1992
In 1992, Australian cricketer David Boon scored a slow yet impressive hundred against the West Indies in the ODI Cricket World Cup. It took him 146 deliveries to reach the milestone, which makes it the tenth slowest 100 in ODI history.
Boon batted for nine hours and faced 147 balls in total to compile his 100 runs, before eventually being dismissed by cummins.
The fact that he scored such a slow century and his team won the match shows just how hard it was for the batsman to stay at the crease in such challenging conditions. His effort, however, was appreciated by many, and it remains to this day one of the slowest centuries scored in an ODI match.
Conclusion
These are a 10 Slowest 100s in ODI cricket history, they range from 168 to 146 deliviries. these 10 players played a lot of balls and scored their centuries.