Cricket: Zimbabwe schoolboy scores record ton in test debut

HARARE – Zimbabwean schoolboy Hamilton Masakadza has became the youngest player to score a Test century on debut.

Masakadza, aged 17 years and 354 days, yesterday hit an unbeaten 115 to lead a Zimbabwean fightback on the third day of the second Test against West Indies.

Zimbabwe, 216 behind on the first innings, were 324 for four in their second innings at the close.

Masakadza, playing in only his eighth first-class match, reached his hundred with a back-foot drive through cover for four off paceman Reon King.

It brought ecstatic celebrations from the hundreds of schoolchildren ringing the boundary and a dance of joy from his father.

The previous youngest centurion on Test debut was Salim Malik of Pakistan, who scored 100 not out against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 1982 aged 18 years and 328 days.

Test cricket's youngest century-maker is Pakistan's Mushtaq Mohammad, who made 101 against India at New Delhi in the 1960-61 series when he was 17 years and 82 days.

Masakadza, who is now the third youngest Test century-maker behind Mushtaq and India's Sachin Tendulkar, said: "It feels wonderful and I owe a lot to my coach Mr Stephen Mangongo - he started me off on the game.

"I had no idea of the records I was breaking. When I went out to bat I just thought, 'this is third day and there was no way we were going to beaten by the end of it'. I wanted to take responsibility and bat the whole day."

Masakadza was handed two pieces of good fortune.

Spinner Neil McGarrell failed to hold on to a tough return chance when Masakadza was on 29.

Then King missed a routine chance at fine leg as Masakadza swept at McGarrell immediately after reaching his hundred.

Otherwise, the teenager was confident and composed, getting off the mark with a textbook drive for four through mid-on off Colin Stuart and intelligently finding the gaps as he picked up runs predominantly with wristy flicks through the leg side.

While it was a red letter day for Masakadza, it was also one Craig Wishart will rue for some time. He batted with aggressive authority in a partnership of 169 for the third wicket with Masakadza before being run out in bizarre circumstances for a career-best 93.

Wishart seemed relieved that a lofted shot down to third man landed short of the fielder and ambled rather than ran the single, Courtney Browne catching him well short of his ground with a direct hit as he relayed the throw. Wishart's 93 came off 178 balls and included three sixes and 10 fours.

Zimbabwe's performance was blemished slightly by the fall of Guy Whittall to the last ball of the day, lbw to McGarrell's for 12.

The only other wicket to fall during the day after Zimbabwe resumed at the overnight 27 for one was that of opener Alistair Campbell for 65.

West Indies lead the two-Test series 1-0.

- INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS (SOUTH AFRICA)