Cricket is a game of uncertainties. No one knows what may happen on the next delivery. The game has offered us many iconic, jaw-dropping moments like Yuvraj Singh hitting six sixes off Stuart Broad, or England winning the 2019 World Cup despite the super-over ending in a tie. Surely, the game checks the nerves of players and the fans.
Well, there is another such instance that will make you jump out of your seat. Glen Chapple, a former England player scored a century off just 27 balls in just 21 minutes. Chapple did the unthinkable against Glamorgan at Old Trafford in 1993. Although the bowlers were not up to the mark and lacked experience in professional cricket, this was against the bowling of Matthew Maynard and Tony Cottey in an attempt to set up a declaration. Glen shares the record with Mark Pettini for the fastest ever First-Class century scored against declaration bowling by Glamorgan in 1993, coming off just 27 balls.
Like many other English cricketers who were extremely talented in County cricket but could not hold their place in England Squad, Chapple too was a member of that club. Chapple made his international debut on June 13, 2006 against Ireland in Belfast. After bowling four wicketless overs against Ireland, Chapple had to pull out of the squad which was scheduled to face Sri Lanka. The abdominal injury happened at the wrong time and Chapple did not play another game for England.
Chapple’s County numbers
Chapple was appointed as Lancashire's captain from the 2009 season onwards and led the county to victory in the 2011 County Championship. That year he became the fifth player to score 7,000 runs and take 700 wickets for Lancashire. In 2012, he was named as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year.
After Chapple helped Lancashire win the County Championship Division Two title in 2005, taking 47 wickets at an average of 21.48, he made an impressive start to the 2006 season which saw him take 23 wickets with an average of 21.56 with the ball and 43 with the bat in the opening six Championship matches. In 2006, he became only the tenth player to achieve the 5,000 run and 500 wickets First-Class double for Lancashire.
On May 31, 2013, in the game against Gloucestershire at Aigburth, Chapple took his 900th wicket. Only Johnny Briggs and Jack Simmons have now scored more runs and taken more wickets for Lancashire than Chapple.
James Anderson, who recently claimed his 300th Test wicket against New Zealand Tweeted this tribute, 'Huge congratulations to Glen Chapple on taking his 900th first-class wicket! I've not played with anyone who works harder.'