South Africa’s Steve Stolk, who has the record for scoring the fastest fifty in the Under-19 World Cup, made a remarkable 32-ball 110* in a run chase of 114 during a cricket club fixture in Northern Ireland over the weekend.
Playing in the NCU Gallagher Challenge Cup, a 50-over provincial cricket tournament that began in 1887, Steve Stolk walked out to open the innings for the Waringstown 1st XI against Lurgan. Lurgan had been dismissed for 113 in the first innings, with Tom Mayes and Greg Thompson picking up seven wickets between them. Stolk also ended with figures of 2-12 in five overs, as Lurgan were bowled out in 39.3 overs.
South Africa’s record-holder stars in run chase
It was all about Stolk, thereafter, who hit as many as 14 sixes in his 32-ball knock to complete a whirlwind hundred. He scored 29 in the first over of the chase (with one extra run for a wide), hitting four more sixes in the next. By the second over, Waringstown were 55 runs, with Stolk hitting eight sixes. His opening partner, Adam Dennison, had yet to face a ball at this stage.
The chase was ultimately completed in the sixth over, where Stolk scored 34 runs - all off boundaries, also getting to his hundred in the process. He was not out on 110 in the end, with Dennison only making a run-a-ball to further cap off what was a bizarre second innings.
Stolk has already been in the news for scoring a 13-ball fifty during the Under-19 World Cup against Scotland in 2024. He made 86 in 37 balls in the game, ending the campaign with 228 runs at a strike rate of 141.61, the highest among batters with at least 20 balls faced. However, the form has not yet translated to the senior level, with a List A average of 15.88 after nine games and a T20 strike rate of 103.65 in 12 innings.
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