Double-quick tons: Fastest first-class double centuries in minutes
Often the records of balls taken for milestones are mentioned but rarely the minutes spent at the crease before reaching the same are talked about. The evolution in over-rates is one of the major reasons for this upgrade, especially in the longer format. Until a few decades back, the minimum requirement for play during a match was considered on the basis of time but not on the number of balls/overs to be bowled.
Talking of the first-class records, in recent times, the fastest double century records were adjusted a lot of times due to new entries. As many as five of the top ten fastest FC double tons in terms of balls were recorded in the last 5-6 years and a couple of them during the 2000s. However, the fastest first-class double centuries in terms of minutes have only one entry from the 21st century in the top ten; that too of the fastest knock ever.
Shafiqullah Shinwari of Afghanistan took 103 minutes to complete his double century for Kabul Region in the 2017-18 season against Boost Region. It is, in fact, the fastest double ton in terms of balls as Shafiqullah took only 89 balls for getting to 200 which was compiled with the help of a record 22 sixes. In this process, the keeper-batsman broke the record held by Ravi Shastri during the 1985 Ranji Trophy match for Bombay against Baroda.
Shastri got to his double ton facing 123 balls in only 113 minutes during the match where he struck six sixes in an over. In fact, Shafiqullah and Shastri are the only players in FC history to score a double ton inside two hours of time. Gilbert Jessop and Sir Clive Lloyd had entries into the list with double centuries notched in exactly two hours.
Gilbert Jessop has four of the top 10 fastest double hundreds in FC cricket in terms of minutes. Three of those came in the County Championship in three consecutive years – 1903, 1904 and 1905. His first entry in this list came back in 1901 when he represented The Rest team against Yorkshire. It was the match played between the County Championship winners and the team formed involving the remaining teams.
Fastest double centuries in first-class cricket in terms of minutes:
