Surrey batsman Will Jacks has smashed a world record 25-ball century in a 10-over practice match against fellow county side Lancashire in Dubai.
But the match was soured by a nasty injury to Lancs spinnerMatt Parkinson who was struck in the face by a return shot and was taken tohospital.
Parkinson was able to walk from the ground after receivingseveral minutes of medical attention on the side of the pitch.
Lancashire confirmed Parkinson had been hit in the lower jawon the left side of his face and had been taken to a local hospital for furtherassessment.
Stoneman, clearly rattled by the incident, holed out in thedeep next ball, but Parkinson’s injury did not curb Jacks’ attacking instincts.
The previous record for a century in a T10 match had been the26 balls it took Pakistan’s Babar Azam in a charity match on December 27.
“People were just chatting that 120-130 was an averagescore so I just wanted to try and have fun, really, that was it,” Jackssaid.
“I didn’t even think about the hundred until I was on98. It all happened quite quickly!”
Jacks’ incredible knockincluded six successive sixes off the one over from England ODI and T20-capedLancashire bowler Stephen Parry at the ICC Academy ground.
The 20-year-old Jacks had started the game by taking 28 fromthe first over to set the tone and brought up his fifty from 14 balls in thethird over.
He was starved of strike in the fourth over, which sawParkinson injured, and started the game’s fifth over with a scarcely believable62 runs from 16 deliveries.
Parry started his first over with a wide, and things did notget any better for the 33-year-old left-arm leg-spinner.
Jacks despatched the deliveries for straight drive, slogsweep, slog sweep and a full toss belted over long on for four successivesixes. Jacks’ connection with the fifth ball – aimed fuller outside theoff-stump and – was not as clean and the batter bounced on his toes, willingthe ball over the rope.
It duly obliged and thefinal ball – wider still – had Jacks down on one knee and swiping with a crossbat stroke that saw the ball go over long on as he celebrated with a raise ofthe bat and embrace of his teammate, Rikki Clarke. He was 98 from 22 balls.
He didn’t have it as easyagainst spinner Steven Croft, facing two dot balls before he carved a boundarythrough point to bring up the 100 from his 25th delivery to spark morecelebrations.
Surrey made 176 and won the match by 95 runs. The two clubs are on a pre-season tour and are currently playing a T10 Festival tri-series that also includes the UAE side. Agencies