SA-W vs ENG-W: Nat Sciver-Brunt breaks 26-year-old record to hit fastest Women’s Test hundred

Nat Sciver-Brunt hit the fastest hundred in Women’s Tests on Sunday. On Day 1 of the ongoing Test between England and South Africa at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, the right-hander became the first batter to score a hundred in less than 100 balls in Women’s Tests. Sciver-Brunt brought up her three-figure score off 96 balls.

The 32-year-old broke the record of former Sri Lankan batter Chamani Seneviratna, who scored a 106-ball century against Pakistan back in 1998. India’s Shafali Verma is third on the list with a 113-ball hundred against the Proteas earlier this year at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Earlier in the ongoing Test, Maia Bouchier made the record for the fastest hundred by an English woman in Tests off 124 balls. She had broken the record of Jan Brittin, who held the record off 137 balls back in 1984. But Sciver-Brunt snatched the record away from Bouchier.

Fastest hundreds in Women’s Tests

Nat Sciver-Brunt – 96 balls against South Africa, 2024

Chamani Seneviratna – 106 balls against Pakistan, 1998

Shafali Verma – 113 balls against South Africa, 2024

Smriti Mandhana – 122 balls against South Africa, 2024

Maia Bouchier – 124 balls against South Africa, 2024

Jan Brittin – 137 balls against South Africa, 1984

Nat Sciver-Brunt rising for England

Sciver-Brunt was at her very best, making sure that England got themselves in a strong position in the Test match. Batting at No.4, she scored 128 runs off 145 balls with the help of 18 fours. She also built a vital partnership of 174 runs with Bouchier.

Her knock came to an end in an unfortunate way, run out at the non-striker’s end. The ball crashed on to the stumps after a thin flick off Nonkululeko Mlaba’s fingers. Even before the verdict was in, Sciver-Brunt knew that she was in trouble.