England register the fastest team 50 in history in 2nd Test against West Indies

England have scripted history inside the first half hour of play during the ongoing second Test against the West Indies in Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Thursday, July 18. The hosts have taken on the Caribbean bowlers to reach the 50-run mark in just 4.2 overs.

This marks the fastest instance that a team has scaled the 50-run mark in the longest format of the game. With England hitting 44 runs in the first four overs, it also marks the most runs that a team has amassed in the first four overs of a Test innings.

West Indies had begun proceedings on a positive note after electing to bowl first. Alzarri Joseph had dismissed Zak Crawley for a three-ball duck in the first over of the innings. However, since then, Ben Duckett has completely dominated the proceedings with Ollie Pope for company.

The left-handed batter slammed four fours in the second over off Jayden Seales to get things underway. Ollie Pope also scored successive boundaries in the next over off Joseph to maintain the steep scoring.

England are currently placed at 68/1 after nine overs as Duckett nears a historic half-century. They also lead 1-0 in the three-match series after having won the series opener at Lord's recently.

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Previous record for the fastest Test team fifty was also held by England

With their effort against West Indies at Trent Bridge, England managed to beat their own record by a solitary delivery. The previous record was 4.3 overs during England's home Test against South Africa at The Oval in 1994.

Interestingly, England also hold the record for the third-fastest fifty in Test cricket. They had reached the 50-run mark in five overs in a Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in Manchester.

In recent times, India had managed to put up the 50-run mark in quick time when Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma punished the West Indies bowlers at Port of Spain in 2023.

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