Nitish Kumar Reddy needs 18 runs on Day 4 of MCG Test to break 69-year-old record; becomes 6th batter to achieve major feat

When Nitish Kumar Reddy walks out to bat on Day 4 of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he will need 18 more runs to break a record created nearly seven decades ago.
 

On Day 3 of the MCG Test, Nitish Reddy became the sixth batter to score a century against Australia at no.8. Reddy remained unbeaten for 105 as bad light led to Day 3's play getting called off early. Here is a list of five other batters to score a century at no.8 against Australia. 
 

1. West Indies' wicketkeeper-batter Clairmonte Depeiaza did it first with a 122-run knock against Ian Johnson-led Australia in 1955 in Bridgetown. The high-scoring Test ended in a draw.
 

2. Six years later in 1961, another West Indies batter achieved the feat. Gerry Alexander scored 108 runs from 190 balls against Richie Benaud-led Australia. Alexander's century helped West Indies beat Australia by 222 runs in Sydney.
 

3. Five decades later, an English wicketkeeper-batter repeated the feat. Once again in Sydney, a no.8 visiting batter scored a century. Matt Prior scored 118 runs from 130 balls against Michael Clarke-led Australia. England won the Test by an innings and 83 runs at SCG.
 

4. The fourth wicketkeeper-batter on the list is India's Wriddhiman Saha. In 2017 in Ranchi, he joined forces with Cheteshwar Pujara and scored 117 runs from 233 balls against Steve Smith's Australia. The Test ended in a draw.
 

5. The first non-wicketkeeper-batter to achieve the feat is Pakistan's Yasir Shah. The leggie scored 113 runs from 213 balls against Tim Paine-led Australia. However, Pakistan lost the Day/Night at Adelaide Oval by an innings and 48 runs.