Colin de Grandhomme of New Zealand celebrates his maiden test century during day two of the Test match series between New Zealand Blackcaps and the West Indies. Photo / Getty Images.
Colin de Grandhomme of New Zealand celebrates his maiden test century during day two of the Test match series between New Zealand Blackcaps and the West Indies. Photo / Getty Images.
Colin de Grandhomme's flying century against West Indies yesterday puts him in elite company, both worldwide and in New Zealand.
Only seven New Zealand batsmen have completed a test hundred in 100 balls or less. His was the 84th instance in test history of a century in 100 or less.
De Grandhomme sits second best among New Zealanders, behind, inevitably Brendon McCullum with his 71-ball effort.
You think de Grandhomme was motoring? McCullum got there 17 balls faster at Hagley Oval against Australia early last year.
All of these were from 0 to 100. Spare a thought for Nathan Astle.
In his once-in-a-lifetime 222 against England at Lancaster Park in 2002, he flew from 100 to 200 in just 39 deliveries. But because these records are judged from ball one, he's not on the list.
One novelty in the New Zealand list was the double whammy from McCullum (111) and Daniel Vettori (127) which helped set up a big innings win against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2005 – and that came from New Zealand being 113 for five in their first innings.
Allrounder Bruce Taylor's 83-ball effort against the West Indies at Eden Park in 1969 was rated remarkable at the time. He held the New Zealand record for 36 years.
Colin de Grandhomme of New Zealand celebrates his half century with teammate Tom Blundell during day two of the Test match
McCullum beat him by 29 balls with his record-setter, which goes to show both how good the little Otago man's effort was in his final test but also how time changes perceptions of what might be possible.
When McCullum was out for 195 against Sri Lanka to mark the test debut of Hagley Oval on a stinking hot day in 2014, he'd already snared a 74-ball century.
He was caught on the long off boundary going for the double ton. Had that ball cleared the fielder, and the boundary, he'd have had another hundred in only 60 balls.
The most prolific rapid scorer among the 100-or-less club?
If you think Australian star Adam Gilchrist is top you're be wrong.
Gilchrist completed six sub-100 ball tons, but India's Virendar Sehwag, a trailblazer in the art of going out hard tops him with a stunning seven.
McCullum, Chris Gayle and David Warner have four each, Ian Botham and Pakistan's flambuoyant Shahid Afridi three apiece.
When Majid Khan scored 100 in 74 balls for Pakistan against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976 it was the first instance of the feat happening in less than 100 balls on the first morning of a test. Warner matched it against Pakistan in Sydney last summer.
On one point de Grandhomme was adamant after his booming innings: ''Brendon will always be faster than me.''
McCullum's mark will fall at some point. That's what records are for.
New Zealand batsmen with test centuries under 100 balls: 54: Brendon McCullum, v Australia, Christchurch 2016 71: Colin de Grandhomme, v West Indies, Wellington 2017 74: McCullum, v Sri Lanka, Christchurch 2014 78: McCullum, v Pakistan, Sharjah 2014 81: Ross Taylor, v Australia, Hamilton 2010 82: Daniel Vettori, v Zimbabwe, Harare 2005 83: Bruce Taylor, v West Indies, Auckland 1969 86: Chris Cairns, v Zimbabwe, Auckland 1996 88: Richard Hadlee, v West Indies, Christchurch 1980 94: McCullum, v Zimbabwe, Harare 2005 99: Taylor, v India, Bangalore 2012.
