Basil Williams – West Indies v Australia, 1978, 118 balls:
In the 1970s Test cricket was much lesser known for fast-hitting centuries. In a time before the emergence of Twenty20 cricket players such as Geoffrey Boycott would preserve their wicket at all costs – even if that meant hours of forward-defensive shots.
For West Indies’ Basil Williams to hit 100 runs off 118 balls was something quite unheard of back then. The opener had only made 10 runs in his first innings against Australia, but he made it a memorable debut with his electric century in the second.
Williams only played six more Tests for the West Indies, high-scoring with 111 in less than a year as an international cricketer.
Unfortunately video of Williams’ feat proved impossible to come by, but he has not been forgotten.
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