Test cricket is one format where batters go through a lot of grind to score every run. Batters often find themselves in tricky situations with bowlers having the upper hand.
But a few of them overcome the challenges to display their brisk run-making against the red ball. This has helped many batters score big knocks by consuming fewer balls than expected, racking up three figures in the quickest manners.
Now such batting display is a bit rare in women’s Test cricket, given they don’t play the format more often. But even in those limited opportunities, we have seen batters raising their centuries in record balls.
And this article will list the 10 such instances of batters scoring the fastest centuries in women’s Test cricket.
10. Nadine George (West Indies): 150 Balls, 2004
In a match that witnessed Kiran Baluch smash the highest women’s Test score, Nadine George slammed the tenth-fastest women’s Test century.
It was a historic encounter between Pakistan and the West Indies in Karachi back in 2004. Pakistan posted 426 runs in the first innings, riding on the back of Baluch’s 242. The hosts then wrapped up the touring party for 147, prompting them to bat again.
But in their second innings, George walked out at No. 3 and smashed her maiden century in her debut Test. She completed her fifty in 89 balls and took another 61 balls to reach hundred runs.
9. Annabel Sutherland (Australia): 149 Balls, 2024
Annabel Sutherland became just the fifth Australian woman to score a double hundred in Test cricket. But before reaching her 200-run mark, she logged the second-fastest women’s Test century by an Australian batter.
In a one-off Test against South Africa in Perth, Australia bowled out the visitors for 75 in the first innings before Sutherland showed her brilliance. The all-rounder came to bat at No. 6, with Australia reeling on 167 for four.
She built her innings with class, reaching her fifty in 78 balls before she raised her second Test ton in 149 balls. Sutherland then went on to accumulate 210 runs off 256 balls.
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8. Annabel Sutherland (Australia): 148 Balls, 2023
Before her double century knock, Sutherland racked up her and Australia’s fastest ton in women’s Test cricket. She was playing the 2023 Women’s Ashes Test against England.
Sutherland came to the crease at a critical point, with Australia struggling on 238 for six. She stitched crucial stands with Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King, and Kim Garth to take Australia to 473.
The right-hand batter completed her fifty in 100 deliveries and took only 48 balls to reach her maiden ton. Sutherland remained unbeaten on 137, smashing 16 fours and a six.
7. Laura Newton (England): 146 Balls, 2004
Laura Newton smashed her maiden Test century off 146 balls against New Zealand in 2004. New Zealand managed to score 215 runs in the first innings.
In reply, Newton powered England to a brisk start, building an opening partnership of 163 runs. Meanwhile, she raced to her fifty in 80 balls before registering her hundred off 146 balls.
6. Janette Brittin (England): 137 Balls, 1984
Janette Brittin has scored the most hundreds in women’s Test cricket history. One of her centuries came in 137 balls, placing her at sixth on this list.
Brittin smashed her second Test century against Australia in 1984. She came one down in England’s second innings, blasting her half-century in 64 balls and the triple figures in 137 balls.
5. Maia Bouchier (England): 124 Balls, 2024
Maia Bouchier is the latest entrant on this list, smashing the fifth-fastest century in women’s Test cricket. She made her Test debut against South Africa in December 2024.
Bouchier opened the innings and provided a decent start to England. She then stitched a 50-run stand with captain Heather Knight before partnering with Nat Sciver-Brunt for a 174-run stand.
The debutant brought up her fifty with a six on the 71st delivery she faced. In the next 53 balls, Bouchier raised the tempo, smashing a set of boundaries to etch her maiden ton off 124 balls.
She fell for 126 runs off 154 balls, hammering 22 fours and two maximums. Her knock helped England declare the innings 395.
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4. Smriti Mandhana (India): 122 Balls, 2024
2024 was all about remarkable batting displays in women’s Test cricket. And one such fine knock came from the bat of Smriti Mandhana.
India hosted South Africa for a one-off Test in July 2024 in Chennai. Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and asked the Indian batters to bat first.
The opening duo of Shafali Verma and Mandhana proved their captain’s decision right by contributing a record 292-run opening stand. Both batters made South African bowlers toil hard by scoring all over the ground.
Mandhana had a cautious start before she started to caress the ball to the boundary ropes. The left-hander raised her fifty in 78 balls before racing a hundred off 122 balls. She increased her scoring rate after that and was looking to get a big score but fell for 149 in 161 balls.
3. Shafali Verma (India): 113 Balls, 2024
Before Mandhana raised her hundred, it was Shafali Verma who scripted history with her 113-ball ton. She became the fastest Indian women batter to score a Test century.
The right-hand opener complimented well with her partner to torment the South African bowling attack. Among the two, Verma was the more aggressive, smashing boundaries with authority.
Verma scored her fifty from 66 balls just before lunch was taken on day one. Ten overs into the second session, she brought up her maiden Test ton off 113 balls. Then she went on to convert her hundred into a double, becoming only the second Indian woman to score a Test double ton.
2. Chamani Seneviratne (Sri Lanka): 106 Balls, 1998
Sri Lanka’s Chamani Seneviratna held the record for 26 years before Nat Sciver-Brunt surpassed her. Now she sits in the second spot with the second-fastest century in women’s Test cricket.
Seneviratna featured in her lone women’s Test against Pakistan. The first innings of both teams were done, with Sri Lanka declaring it on 305 for nine before bowling out Pakistan for 171.
The Lankans started their second innings, but found themselves in trouble on 141 for six. Then Seneviratna walked in at No. 8 and put up a valiant effort with the bat.
She scored an unbeaten 105-run knock, reaching her hundred in just 106 balls. Her knock helped Sri Lanka declare their second innings on 275 for eight and then beat Pakistan by 309 runs.
1. Nat Sciver-Brunt (England): 96 Balls, 2024
Nat Sciver-Brunt rewrote record books on December 15, 2024, as she brought up the fastest-ever women’s Test century. The all-rounder came to bat at No. 4 and got off the mark with a boundary.
Sciver-Brunt made her intentions clear from the start, finding the boundary ropes with ease. She raised her fifty in just 46 balls with a four.
The right-hand batter kept her attacking mode on to reach her second Test hundred off 96 balls. Sciver-Brunt’s knock came to an end on 128 as she was run out. Her innings included 18 fours.
