Chad Bowes smashes the quickest List A double hundred in history in Ford Trophy 2024-25 fixture
Canterbury and New Zealand batter Chad Bowes has re-written the record books by smacking the fastest double hundred in List A history. The Ford Trophy game against Otago on Wednesday (October 23) saw the 32-year-old take only 103 deliveries to reach the milestone.
India's Narayan Jagadeesan and Australia's Travis Head held the record previously, doing so in 114 balls; however, the Kiwi right-hander has beaten it comfortably. Playing his 100th List A fixture, he also made the first century of the season, getting there in 53 deliveries. It landed among the top five quickest centuries in Ford Trophy history, with Ross Taylor holding the record for achieving it in 49 balls.
Bowes struck 27 fours and seven sixes on his way to a marathon knock of 205. The right-hander was dismissed by Matthew Bacon, who pinned him LBW in the 39th over. Canterbury posted an imposing 343/9 in 50 overs.
With Chad Bowes scoring 48 in his first game, he has now aggregated 253 runs and is the top-scorer in the tournament. The top-order batter made his debut for New Zealand in March 2023 and has featured in six ODIs and 11 T20Is thus far.
However, he has had underwhelming performances, collectively scoring only 105 runs. The 32-year-old has also missed out on the squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.
Otago flattened after Chad Bowes' whirlwind double hundred
Meanwhile, Otago were nowhere near the total of 343 as their innings lasted only 24.5 overs in which they managed 103 runs. Luke Georgeson top-scored with 34 runs and was their only batter to pass 30, as the team eventually fell 240 runs short.
Sean Harvey and Michael Rippon picked up three wickets each, while Zakary Foulkes snared a couple. Michael Ray and Cole McConchie took one scalp apiece.
Canterbury have won both their games so far and are at the top of the points table.