English batsman makes cricket history with 25-ball century

Surrey batsman Will Jacks has thrashed six sixes in one over on his way to a 25-ball century in a pre-season 10-over friendly against Lancashire in Dubai.

It is reportedly the fastest hundred by an English batsman in a match between two professional sides, and the first ever in the T10 format.

However Jacks’ innings, in which he finished 105 from 30 deliveries, will not go into the official record books because it wasn’t a first-class fixture.

Nevertheless, it was an incredible display of batting from the 20-year-old, who bludgeoned eight fours and 11 sixes, six of which came in a single over off Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry.

“From the first ball I just tried to play my shots,” Jacks said afterwards.

“After the first few overs my intention was to try and hit every ball for six, and I think after four sixes I thought, ‘I could hit six sixes here’.

“I had never done it before and it was nice to do that and something I will cherish.”

Chris Gayle holds the official world record for the quickest ton in a first-class match, reaching triple figures off 30 balls en route to 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL in 2013.

Two years later, AB de Villiers recorded the fastest hundred at international level – off just 31 deliveries for South Africa against the Windies.