NEW DELHI: Australian cricketer Annabel Sutherland etched her name in the annals of
cricket history by smashing the fastest double hundred in women's Test cricket.
The 22-year-old achieved this remarkable feat on the second day of the one-off match against South Africa, captivating audiences at the WACA ground.
Sutherland's extraordinary innings saw her reach the milestone in just 248 balls, surpassing the previous record set by Karen Rolton in 2001.Rolton's double century came off 306 balls against England in Leeds, but Sutherland's aggressive batting style propelled her to rewrite the record books.
The young cricketer's innings was nothing short of spectacular as she amassed a staggering 210 runs off 256 balls before eventually getting dismissed.
Sutherland’s blistering knock played a pivotal role in Australia posting a mammoth total of 575 for 9 declared in their first innings, setting a new benchmark for the highest total in women's Test cricket.
After South Africa's first innings woes, where they were bundled out for a paltry 76, they now faced an uphill task in their second innings, trailing by a daunting 432 runs at stumps on the second day, with the score reading 67 for 3.
Sutherland's exceptional performance saw her come tantalizingly close to breaking Ellyse Perry's Australian record of 213 not out, set in 2017. Batting at No. 6, she initially played a patient innings, scoring only 7 runs off her first 35 balls before launching a relentless assault on the South African bowlers, smashing 27 fours and two sixes.
By achieving this historic milestone, Sutherland joined an exclusive club of women cricketers who have scored double centuries in Test cricket, including Pakistan's Kiran Baluch, India's Mithali Raj, and Ellyse Perry.
Notably, Sutherland's innings also made her the youngest Australian woman and the second youngest overall to reach a double century in Test cricket, further solidifying her status as one of the brightest talents in the sport.
Her century came in a mere 149 balls, narrowly missing her own record for the fastest Test century by a woman. Prior to this match, Sutherland had already showcased her potential with 213 runs from four Tests since her debut in 2021, underscoring her emergence as a force to be reckoned with in women's cricket.
(With inputs from PTI)
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