New Zealand opener Chad Bowes set the cricket world abuzz by scoring the fastest double century in men’s List A cricket on Wednesday. He achieved this milestone in just 103 balls while playing for Canterbury against Otago in the Ford Trophy, New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition.
Bowes was eventually dismissed for 205 runs off 110 balls, breaking the previous record jointly held by Australian batter Travis Head and Indian wicketkeeper-batter N Jagadeesan, both of whom reached their double centuries in 114 balls. Head accomplished this for South Australia against Queensland in the 2021-22 Marsh Cup, while Jagadeesan did it during his record-breaking 277 against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
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After his remarkable innings, Bowes reflected on the achievement, stating, “It might take a day or two to fully sink in, but it’s been a fantastic day here at Hagley and a special occasion.”
He added, “Such feats happen naturally and organically; you don’t plan for them. I’m glad it was my day. I probably didn’t hit the ball as consistently as I’d like, but it was nice to connect well and hit it around the park. It started off well, so I just kept going without trying to hold back.”
Chad Bowes delivered a stunning performance against Otago, making the occasion even more memorable as it marked his 100th List A match. The right-handed batsman exhibited remarkable stroke play, hitting 27 fours and seven sixes, leading Canterbury to a total of 343 for 9 after opting to bat first at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The 32-year-old began strong and continued his aggressive style even after the early dismissal of his opening partner, Henry Nicholls, who went out for a duck after just five balls. Bowes reached his half-century in just 26 balls and celebrated his century in a mere 53 deliveries.
He needed an additional 50 balls to reach his double century before being dismissed LBW by Matthew Bacon in the 39th over, with Bacon finishing the match with five wickets. Only two other players from Canterbury’s top seven scored in double figures, with captain Cole McConchie contributing 27 runs off 40 balls as the second-highest score. However, No. 8 Zakary Foulkes provided crucial support with a quick 49 runs off 46 balls, helping the team approach the 350-run mark.
On the bowling side, Canterbury bowled out Otago for just 103, resulting in a massive 240-run victory. This innings marked Bowes’ personal best in List A cricket, significantly exceeding his previous highest score of 126.
