Master blaster West Indian Chris Gayle went within a whisker of a leg before golden duck against Zimbabwe at Manuka yesterday.
Just as well he survived a review and an umpire’s call, or the cricket world would have been robbed of the fastest double century in ODI history.
Gayle’s 215 was the third highest ODI score in history behind Rohit Sharma’s incredible 264 and Virender Sehwag’s 219.
Just as incredible is the 606 day drought between Gayle’s last ODI century and yesterday’s, which was his 22nd.
“I’ve had ongoing hamstring and lowerback injuries in the last 19 months that has made batting difficult,” Gayle said.
“But I felt good today, and it was nice to score runs again.”
When Gayle was in full flight, the Zimbabwean fielders became spectators and the spectators became fielders.
Gayle’s 16 sixes equals the world ODI record in an innings with AB de Villiers and Sharma. Shane Watson is just out of the mix on 15.
Gayle had a chance to set the record on his own yesterday, but his partner Marlon Samuels had most of the strike in the last five overs. Gayle was caught off the last ball of the innings, seeking his 17th six.
But there’s more.
The 372 first-wicket stand between Gayle and Samuels yesterday is the highest for any wicket in ODI history.
They well and truly beat the 331 set by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid against New Zealand in 1999, and the 318 set by Sourav Ganguly and Dravid against Sri Lanka the same year.
The Gayle-Samuels partnership had a quiet start, but gathered momentum as it went on.
First 50 off 67 deliveries.
Second 50 from 75.
Third 50 from 40.
Fourth 50 from 50.
Fifth 50 from 22.
Sixth 50 from 18.
Seventh 50 from 24.
Samuels unbeaten 133 was at similar pace. His 50 came up in 95 deliveries with just four fours. But his second 50 took only 48 deliveries, with five fours.
That leaves the last hurrah for Chris Gayle in the Windies’ win by 73 runs, which was a tremendous reply by Zimbabwe.
The fastest ODI double centuries
*138 deliveries – Gayle in 2015 with 16 sixes and nine fours.* 140 – Virender Sehwag with six sixes and 23 fours against West Indies at Indore in 2011.
* 147 – Sachin Tendulkar with tthree sixes and 25 fours against South Africa at Gwalor in 2010.
* 151 – Rohit Sharma with five sixes and 25 fours against Sri Lanka at Kolkata in 2014.
* And 156 – Sharma with 15 sixes and 12 fours against Australia at Bangalore in 2013.
Gayle’s first hundred yesterday was off a rather sedate 105 deliveries, with five sixes and five fours.
But his second hundred was ‘GayleForce’ – the word that’s emblazoned on the outside of both his boots. It took just 33 deliveries with 11 sixes and four fours.
There’s nothing more to be said to beat that stat.
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