Earning the maiden Test cap for your country is a special moment in any cricketer’s career. A few of them try to make it even more special by storming their way to the fastest fifties.
It’s not quite often we see batters scoring fifties in the quickest manner in Test cricket. But a handful of them went on to reach their half-centuries off fewer balls, setting their Test careers off to a flier.
Here are the top four batters who have scored the fastest fifties on their Test debuts.
4. Desmond Haynes (West Indies): 38 balls vs Australia | 1978
Desmond Haynes is at number four at the moment, but his 38-ball fifty was the fastest on his Test debut. And he held the record for almost 30 years!
The former West Indies opener made his Test debut against Australia in March 1978 in Port of Spain. After asking Australia to bat first, the Windies bowlers wrapped up the visitors for 90 runs.
Then Haynes opened the host’s innings with Gordon Greenidge and provided them with a brisk start. He stitched a quick 87-run stand with Greenidge while raising his maiden fifty off 38 balls.
Haynes’ knock lasted for 75 minutes, where he accumulated 61 runs, including 7 fours and 2 sixes.
3. Jacob Bethell (England): 37 balls vs New Zealand | 2024
Jacob Bethell logged the joint second-fastest fifty on his Test debut against New Zealand on December 1, 2024. After making his T20I and ODI debuts for England in September 2024, his debut Test outing followed in November 2024.
Bethell’s first innings in the Christchurch Test wasn’t much of note, getting out for 10 runs batting at No. 3. But he made it up in the second innings when England were out to chase a target of 104 runs.
After England lost an early wicket, Bethell joined Ben Duckett and started creaming boundaries. He targeted Nathan Smith, who was also on debut, to smash boundaries.
The left-hander completed his maiden fifty in 37 balls while taking the winning run for England.
Also Read | 5 Fastest Fifties on ODI Debut
2. Luke Ronchi (New Zealand): 37 balls vs England | 2015
Luke Ronchi was pretty late to Test cricket, having made his debut at the age of 34 years and 36 days. The attacking keeper-batter turned up for New Zealand against England in the 2015 Headingley Test.
Ronchi’s knock came in a crunch situation when the Kiwis were reeling at 144 for five. He stitched a crucial 120-run stand with Tom Latham for the sixth wicket.
Meanwhile, the right-hander made his intentions clear from the start, smashing a four on his first delivery. Ronchi continued the momentum to reach his maiden half-century in 37 balls.
He eventually fell for 88 off 70 balls, missing out on a well-deserved hundred. Rochi’s Test career, though, lasted for four matches only.
1. Tim Southee (New Zealand): 29 balls vs England | 2008
This name may surprise you, but Tim Southee has recorded the fastest fifty on his Test debut. It’s quite unusual to see a bowler rack up runs at a faster rate, that too on debut.
But Southee not only displayed his bowling skills but also showed his mindfulness with the bat. He started his debut with a stunning five-wicket haul, getting England captain Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss within six overs. He further dismissed Kevin Pietersen, Stuart Broad, and Ryan Sidebottom to round up his fifer.
In the fourth innings of the Test, Southee showed his flair with the bat in an attempt to save the match for New Zealand. The pacer got off the mark with six and then started dealing in maximums and fours.
Southee took Monty Panesar and James Anderson to the cleaners on his way to his maiden Test fifty. He raised his half-century in just 29 balls, adding a bit of a spice to the contest.
Southee, though, couldn’t take the Kiwis over the ropes as they got bowled out for 431 runs. He remained stranded on 77 runs off 40 balls, hammering 4 fours and 9 sixes. His nine maximums are also the most by a batter on his Test debut.
The Kiwi pacer retired from Test cricket in December 2024 with 391 scalps and 2245 runs from 107 matches. You can check out some records logged by Southee in his Test career here.
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