Jamie Smith of England celebrates reaching his century during Day Three of the 2nd Rothesay Test Match at Edgbaston on July 04, 2025 in Birmingham, England

Jamie Smith scored a counter-attacking 80-ball century on day three of the Edgbaston Test against India, falling just short of the England record for the fastest century in the format.

Smith arrived at No.7 with England in deep trouble at 84-5, having lost Joe Root (22) and captain Ben Stokes (0) off successive balls. Averting a hat-trick successfully, he launched a counterattack from there, reaching his century in just 80 balls, striking 14 fours and three sixes in the process. His blazing innings rescued England from a threatening collapse, guiding them to 249-5 by lunch. Smith remained unbeaten on 102 off 82, while Harry Brook was 91 not out off 127.

Smith was on 90 off 71 balls, with Gilbert Jessop’s England record for the fastest Test century in sight. However, he took nine more balls to reach his hundred, leaving Jessop’s 123-year-old national record (76 balls) intact, set against Australia in 1902. His batting partner, Harry Brook, previously scored an 80-ball century against Pakistan in Rawalpindi (December 2022). Between Jessop and Smith, another Englishman – Jonny Bairstow – holds a place in the list for his 77-ball hundred against New Zealand (Nottingham, 2022). Hence, Smith's hundred is the joint-third-fastest by an English Test player.

New Zealand's Brendon McCullum holds the world record for the fastest Test century, achieved in just 54 balls against Australia at Christchurch in his final Test (2016). This isn’t his only entry in the top 10 – his 74-ball hundred against Sri Lanka at the same venue in 2015 also places him joint-eighth on the list alongside Pakistan’s Majid Khan and India’s Mohammad Azharuddin.

Fastest hundreds in Test cricket: Full list

Balls Player Team Opponents Venue Season
54 Brendon McCullum New Zealand Australia Christchurch 2015/16
56 Viv Richards West Indies England St John's 1985/86
56 Misbah-ul-Haq Pakistan Australia Abu Dhabi 2014/15
57 Adam Gilchrist Australia England Perth 2006/07
67 Jack Gregory Australia South Africa Johannesburg 1921/22
69 Shivnarine Chanderpaul West Indies Australia Georgetown 2002/03
69 David Warner Australia India Perth 2011/12
70 Christopher Gayle West Indies Australia Perth 2009/10
71 Roy Fredericks West Indies Australia Perth 1975/76
71 Colin de Grandhomme New Zealand West Indies Wellington 2017/18
74 Majid Khan Pakistan New Zealand Karachi 1976/77
74 Mohammad Azharuddin India South Africa Calcutta 1996/97
74 Brendon McCullum New Zealand Sri Lanka Hagley Oval, Christchurch 2014/15
75 AB de Villiers South Africa India Centurion 2010/11
76 Gilbert Jessop England Australia The Oval 1902
77 Brian Lara West Indies Pakistan Multan Cricket Stadium 2006/07
77 Jonny Bairstow England New Zealand Nottingham 2022
78 Shahid Afridi Pakistan West Indies Kensington Oval, Bridgetown 2004/05
78 Shahid Afridi Pakistan India Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2005/06
78 Virender Sehwag India West Indies Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet 2006
78 Brendon McCullum New Zealand Pakistan Sharjah Cricket Stadium 2014/15
78 David Warner Australia Pakistan Sydney Cricket Ground 2016/17
79 Chris Gayle West Indies South Africa Newlands, Cape Town 2003/04
80 Chris Gayle West Indies England Kennington Oval 2004
80 Sarfaraz Ahmed Pakistan Australia Dubai Sports City Stadium 2014/15
80 Harry Brook England Pakistan Rawalpindi 2022/23
81 Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka Bangladesh Sinhalese Sports Club Ground 2001/02
80 Jamie Smith England India Birmingham 2025

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