STAT ATTACK - Andrew Balbirnie 99*

19 Sep 2020 | Cricket

Andrew Balbirnie became the first Glamorgan batsman to make an unbeaten 99 during the Welsh county’s T20 contest against Gloucestershire at Cardiff, and only the fourth batsman in the history of the competition to end on 99*. (writes Andrew Hignell)

His career-best score came after the Irishman had reached his fifty from 31 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Andrew then accelerated, making 49 runs from a further 23 balls with 7 more fours plus another six. Three other batsmen have made 99* in domestic T20 cricket - Steve Davies for Surrey against the Sussex Sharks at Whitgift School in 2011, James Vince for Hampshire against the Kent Spitfires at Canterbury during 2015 and Joe Denly for the Spitfires against Gloucestershire at Canterbury in 2018.

Luke Wright, the Sussex Sharks batsman also made 99* during England’s IT20 match in 2012/13 against Afghanistan at Colombo, whilst Shaun Marsh – who has had a stint with the Welsh county – is the only batsman in the history of the Big Bash League to end on 99* in the Australian competition, having made this score for the Perth Scorchers against the Melbourne Renegades at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne in 2011/12.

As far as the other major T20 competition is concerned, two batsmen have made 99* in the Indian Premier League - Suresh Raina for Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers at Hyderabad in 2013 and Chris Gayle for the Kings XI Punjab in the match with Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali in 2019.

(with thanks to Ric Finlay of Tastats for supplying the international data)

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