South Africa’s Marco Marais Scores Fastest-Ever Triple Century
Nov 26, 2017 at 11:39 AM
Records tumbled when South African Marco Marais came out to bat for Border in the three-day cup match against Eastern Province at Buffalo Park on Thursday (November 23). Marais scored the fastest-ever triple century in first-class cricket, thus shattered a 96-year-old record and also became the first batsman to reach the milestone in less than 200 balls.
Marais came in to bat at number six when his side was reeling at 84 for 4 and completely changed the course of the game with a whirlwind knock. He took the Eastern Province attack to the cleaners right from the word go as he crossed his 100 off 68 balls, his 200 off 139 balls and finally his 300 off just 191 balls. The stunning knock was studded with 35 fours and 13 maximums.
300* in 1 session and a half 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 special knock Marco Marais 👊🏾 #forthelads #whoisthisguy🤷🏽♂️ #EpvBears pic.twitter.com/UuzsQI5zl1
— Somila Seyibokwe (@seyibokwe) November 23, 2017
Marais was well supported by Brad Williams who scored 113 as the duo shared a mammoth unbeaten 428-run partnership before Border declared their innings on an imposing 512 for 4. The huge partnership was the fifth-highest fifth-wicket stand in first-class history. The match eventually ended in a draw on Saturday with Border walking away with the first-innings points.
Speaking about the knock, Marais told The Daily Dispatch:
“I don’t think anyone actually thinks they are going to get 300,” Marais told South African newspaper The Daily Dispatch after the record knock.
“I am really happy but I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet. I am just so tired now. I think it will eventually hit me later tonight. I was striking the ball so well. I decided that I was just going to go hard at them and it came off in the end.”
“Batting with Bradley was really good. I said to him that he must just play his normal game and that I was going to try and be attacking from the start,” he added.
The right-handed batsman, who is now second leading run-scorer in the ongoing tournament, broke former Australia batsman Charles Macartney’s record who had reached the triple century off 221 balls way back in 1921 against Nottinghamshire.