Jake Fraser-McGurk broke a number of records en route to his 38-ball 125 during the 2023/24 Marsh Cup, becoming the fastest List A centurion in history on Sunday (October 8).
The 21-year-old, playing only his 16th List A game, brought up his maiden hundred at the domestic level, in only 29 balls, becoming the quickest to the landmark in professional 50-over cricket. After Tasmania had made a mammoth 435-9, the highest team total in Australian one-day cricket history, South Australia needed a stunning showing of their own, which was provided by Fraser-McGurk, who opened the innings alongside Henry Hunt.
He faced only one ball in the first two overs of the run chase, before unleashing his full fury in the third over, hitting Sam Rainbird for 32 runs, including four sixes and two fours. It was the joint-most runs scored off a single over in the competition, equalling Alex Ross’ record of hitting 32 runs in an over off Nathan Lyon in 2017.
Fraser-McGurk took 18 balls to reach his second List A fifty, and first since 2019 on debut for Victoria. He broke Glenn Maxwell’s record for the fastest half-century in the Marsh Cup, who had achieved the feat in 19 balls.
Ne needed 11 more balls to move from 50 to 100 and eventually got his first-ever professional hundred, in only 29 balls during the ninth over of the innings. He surpassed AB de Villiers, who held the record of the fastest List A ton after he had made a century in 31 balls in 2015.
The previous record for the fastest hundred by an Australian in domestic one-day cricket was held by Luke Ronchi, who had taken 51 balls to the landmark. Fraser-McGurk reached there 22 balls faster on Sunday.
Fraser-McGurk was eventually dismissed in the 12th over, with 10 fours and 13 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 328.94. His efforts, however, went in vain, as South Australia lost by 37 runs, falling short of achieving the best-ever List A run chase. The record still stands with South Africa, 17 years after they chased down Australia’s 434 in 2006.
