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5 Youngest players to score a triple century in Test cricket

A triple century is the rarest feat a batsman could achieve in Test cricket. It requires multiple hours of concentration, extreme fitness and immaculate mental strength. Given the unpredictable nature of the red-ball which does plenty in the morning and final session of play, it isn’t easy for a batsman to score runs fluently throughout the entire course of the day. There does arrive a phase where the runs start to dry up and augment the pressure on the batsmen to survive the testing spell from the bowlers. One who manages to do so efficiently can indeed get close to achieving this rare feat. While the feat has eluded even the best of batsmen, there were some, who had the fortunes on their side and went on to slam a triple century in the team’s cause. We will be concentrating on the youngest players to pull off this remarkable landmark in Test cricket. In the below piece, we look at 5 batsmen, who scored a triple century at a young age in Test cricket:

1. Garry Sobers – 21 years 213 days

The greatest all-rounder to have graced the field of cricket, Sobers smashed this knock against Pakistan during the 3rd Test at Kingston in 1958. Having chosen to bat first, Pakistan managed a convincing total of 328 in the first innings on the back of wonderful knocks of 122 by Ahmed and 77 by Mathias. Atkinson picked up 5-42 for the hosts and exerted his impact.

It was now time for the Windies to show their prowess at home and they did so with aplomb, piling up a mammoth total of 790-3 in their first innings, courtesy magnificent innings of 365 by Sobers. The lead gained had augmented a whole lot of pressure on Pakistan, who crumbled under the very aspect, getting dismissed for 288 in their second innings. Windies won the contest comprehensively by an innings and 174 runs, owing to stellar contributions from Sobers and Atkinson.

2. Donald Bradman – 21 years 318 days

The greatest batsman of all-time, Bradman achieved this feat against arch-rivals England during the 3rd Test at Leeds in 1930. Electing to bat first, Australia posted a humongous total of 566 in their first innings on the back of a superb triple century by Bradman, who hammered 334 runs. Tate was the most effective bowler for the hosts, who scalped 5-124.

England, in reply, were bowled out for 391 and bestowed the Aussies a valuable first-innings lead. The visitors rightly enforced the follow-on, seeing England score 95-3 in their second innings before the match eventually ended in a draw. It wasn’t the ideal result from Australia’s perspective, who had the upper hand but the game will always be remembered for the daredevil knock scored by none other than the great Sir Don Bradman!

3. Leonard Hutton – 22 years 58 days

Another classical English batsman from yesteryears, Hutton chronicled this scintillating knock against Australia during the 5th Test at Kennington Oval, London in 1938. England, who batted first, scored runs for fun, amassing 903-7 in the first innings, owing to a fabulous innings of 364 by Hutton and 187 by Leyland.

Australia, in response, had absolutely no answers to the first innings assault, getting bundled out for 201 in their first innings. Bowes snapped 5-49 for the hosts. Having procured such a massive lead, England rightly enforced the follow on and yet again decimated the opposition for 123, winning the encounter by an innings and a gargantuan margin of 579 runs. Farnes was the destroyer for England this time around, picking up 4-63 and ending the Australian resilience.

4. Hanif Mohammad – 23 years 27 days

The first Pakistani batting star, Hanif smacked the knock against the West Indies during the 1st Test at Bridgetown in 1958. Windies while batting first, posted 579-9 in their first innings, owing to brilliant centuries by Weekes and Hunte, who scored 197 and 142 respectively. Hussain picked up 4-153 for the visitors.

Pakistan, in return, could manage just 106 and fell too far behind in the contest. In an attempt to secure a victory, the hosts enforced the follow on and built pressure on Pakistan to reduce the deficit and set a suitable last innings target.

While many expected Pakistan to give it away cheaply, the visitors themselves weren’t ready to do so as they put up a batting masterclass piling up 657-8 in their second innings on the back of the longest innings in Test cricket by Hanif, who accumulated 337 runs and set the hosts a target of 185.

The match ended in a draw as Windies scored 28 for no loss in the second innings and bestowed Pakistan with the greatest happiness of denying the opposition an easy win.

5. Brian Lara – 24 years 349 days

An immaculate southpaw, who bossed both the sides of the wicket like no-one before, Lara accomplished the huge feat against England during the 5th Test at St John’s in 1994. Batting first, the Windies amassed plenty of runs on the board, scoring 593-5 in their first innings. Lara was the premier reason behind the same, who plundered a magnificent knock of 375.

England, too, scored a similar number of runs in their first innings, owing to beautiful knocks of 175 by Smith and 135 by Atherton. Benjamin picked up 4-110 for the hosts to leave his impact. The game had no winner to show as the contest ended in a draw after Windies managed 43 for no loss in the second innings.

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