On what was a record-breaking day in The Hundred's history, Will Jacks of the Oval Invincibles smashed only the second century of the competition and registered the highest-ever score in the tournament's history during the second game of Sunday's double-header against the Southern Brave at the Kennington Oval in London.
The 23-year-old reached the milestone in style as he dispatched Rehan Ahmed's delivery into the stands. The English right-handed batter also recorded the fastest century in The Hundred's history by reaching the three-figure mark in just 47 balls.
Jacks' stupendous knock of 108 not out off 48 balls helped the Invincibles chase down the target of 138 runs in just 82 balls with seven wickets to spare. The Englishman ended the game in supreme fashion by smacking successive sixes off Ahmed's bowling.
In his entertaining innings, the 23-year-old bludgeoned 10 fours and eight sixes as he toyed with the Brave's bowlers and smacked them to all corners for the ground. To give some perspective to Jacks' stunning knock, the right-handed batter scored 81.48% (88 runs) of his total runs through boundaries.
While the first edition of The Hundred didn't witness any century, the ongoing edition has already seen two batters reach the three-figure mark in the competition. Earlier in the week, Birmingham Phoenix's Will Smeed recorded the first-ever century in The Hundred when he played a match-winning knock of 101 not out in 50 balls against the Southern Brave.
Rossington lights up Headingley
Before Jacks' masterclass on Sunday, it was carnage from the willow of Adam Rossington that garnered all the headlines. The London Spirit's opening batter unleashed a flurry of sixes against Northern Superchargers and registered the fastest-ever half-century in the competition's history.
After reaching the milestone in just 15 balls, the wicketkeeper-batter continued his onslaught before being caught by Craig Miles off van der Merwe's bowling. The 29-year-old played a blazing knock of 66 runs in 25 balls and helped London Spirit register their fourth consecutive win of the campaign.
In his explosive knock, Rossington smashed three fours and seven sixes as London Spirit chased down the target of 144 runs in just 44 balls with seven wickets in the tank. As a result of this resounding victory, the London Spirit consolidated their position at the top of the points table with four wins in as many matches.
