The first player to score a century in each innings of a Test
The Test format is ideal and supreme among all the formats in the sport of cricket. To don the white jersey is the ultimate dream for any player growing up. Reaching the three-figure mark is the other achievement that any cricketer looks to fulfil in this format. One such batter entered the history books when he smashed centuries not just in one but both the innings of the match for the very first time in the format’s history.
Former Australia player Warren Bardsley became the first-ever cricketer to score centuries in each innings of a Test, and he achieved the feat against arch-rivals England at The Oval in the fifth and the final match of the 1909 Ashes series. Born on December 06, 1882, Warren played 41 Tests for Australia and scored 2459 runs at an average of 40.47 with six centuries and 14 fifties and the highest score of 193*. On January 20, 1954, the milestone man passed away in New South Wales aged 71y 45d.
In that game, the Aussies batted first and Bardsley, who opened the batting along with Syd Gregory, smashed 136, which included 12 fours, in the first innings. The visitors reached a total of 325 thanks to his ton and half-centuries from Victor Trumper and Charles Macartney.
England, in their first innings, were dismissed for 352, taking a lead of 27 runs. Bardsley continued on his merry way as he slammed 130 with the help of ten fours in the second innings. The Aussies declared their innings on 339/5 with the match getting drawn at the end. The hosts won the Ashes series by a margin of 1-2.
England’s Jack Russell became the second player to achieve the feat as he struck twin centuries 14 years after Barsdley’s heroics, while playing against South Africa in Durban in 1923.
