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The New Zealand team had lost 9 wickets for 333 runs and defeat was almost certain but what happened after that changed the definition of Test cricket. On March 16, 2002, a record was made which till date no batsman has been able to break.
New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle scored the fastest double century in 2002, the record still stands.
New Delhi. There are some innings in the history of cricket, which go beyond the scorecard and become a story, a story of passion, emotion and making the impossible possible. That explosive innings of Nathan Astle was also something like this, when he single-handedly created a storm in the midst of a team that was on the verge of defeat. Such a miracle happened on the grounds of Christchurch that the world was left wide-eyed.
England had set a lofty target of 550 runs for New Zealand to win in the fourth innings. The target was so big that the match started looking like a formality. The New Zealand team had lost 9 wickets for 333 runs and defeat was almost certain but what happened after that changed the definition of Test cricket. On March 16, 2002, a record was made which till date no batsman has been able to break.
Astle shines in Jade Stadium
Coming to bat at number 5, Astle showed aggressive attitude from the very beginning. He completed his century in just 114 balls, which was very fast in terms of Test cricket of that time, but the real explosion happened after that. After completing the century, he changed gears and scored the next 100 runs in just 39 balls. It was a nightmare for any bowling attack. During this time, the injured Chris Crayons who came to support him and was batting at number 10, together made a partnership of 118 runs in just 65 balls. This partnership not only got recorded in the record books, but also shows that in cricket, hope remains alive till the last wicket.
Bowlers washed and world record made
Astle thrashed England’s leading bowlers Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard and Flintoff. Especially by hitting three consecutive sixes in one over of Caddick, he made it clear that he has come not just to survive but to create history. Astle hit 28 fours and 11 sixes during his record-breaking innings. The biggest attraction of this inning was not just the runs, but its speed. Astle completed his double century in 153 balls, which is still the fastest double century in Test cricket. He broke Adam Gilchrist’s record, and later even explosive batsmen like Ben Stokes and Virender Sehwag could not cross this figure. Ultimately Astle was out on Hoggard’s bowling after scoring 222 runs and New Zealand’s innings was reduced to 451 runs. The team definitely lost the match, but Astle’s innings proved to be bigger than the victory. It was not just a double century, but a new definition of aggression in Test cricket where no matter how difficult the conditions, a player can change the story on his own.