Stats: Matthew Wade records the fastest century by an Australian in List A cricket

Matthew Wade has been trying all trades to get back into the Australian team as he is putting on consistent efforts with the bat. Wade, in fact, is targeting to give up keeping and make a return as a specialist batsman. The Australia A tour of England seems to be helping his cause as the left-hander is sparkling with the bat as a specialist opener while Peter Handscomb taking up the gloves.

He began the tour with a 67-ball 117 in a 6-wicket win against Northamptonshire. Wade followed it with his career-best score of 155 against Derbyshire to help his team chase down the target of 284 with three wickets and 88 balls to spare. His 155 came in only 77 deliveries with 14 fours and 11 maximums. Wade continued where he left in Northampton as he brought up his fifty in only 20 balls.

He took 25 and 23 deliveries for his subsequent 50 runs as Australia A kept going at over 9 runs an over. They were 229/3 in 23.2 overs when Wade was trapped in front by Matthew Critchley. Matthew Wade’s 45-ball century in this game is the fastest ever century in List A cricket by an Australian. In this process, Wade bettered the 49-ball hundred by David Hussey for Nottinghamshire against Somerset in 2009 at Trent Bridge.

Wade raised his ton during the 1st unofficial ODI off 52 balls which is now the 4th fastest by an Australian in List A cricket. Glenn Maxwell’s century off 51 balls against Sri Lanka in the CWC 2015 is 3rd in the list. Wade’s century is also the fastest in List A matches that involve an International ‘A’ team. Playing for the Sagicor High-Performance Centre in 2014, Andre Russell struck a 47-ball hundred against the touring Bangladesh A.

Wade kept his aggressive intent throughout the innings that helped him to bring up his maiden List A 150 in only 68 deliveries. His previous highest List A score reads 130 also while playing for Australia in 2015 against South Africa A. Among the fastest known 150s in List A cricket, only AB de Villiers has got one quicker than Wade in 68 balls. ABD raised his 150 in only 64 balls during the 2015 World Cup against the Windies.

(Stats as on June 23, 2019)