Neil Broom entered a unique club as he swept away Sunil Gavaskar’s ‘record’ of notching up his maiden century after making their debut.
Broom managed to hit a century after seven years and 354 days since his ODI debut, which was against West Indies in Auckland in January 2009. His effort was the second-longest by a New Zealand player. The first being former India coach John Wright, who took nine years and 244 days to notch up his first century since debut. Wright made his debut against England in Scarborough in 1978 and he finally hit his maiden hundred in March 1988, when he hit 101 against England in Napier.
Highlights
- Neil Broom made his debut in 2009 during the series against West Indies
- Neil Broom made a comeback to the New Zealand team after six years
- Neil Broom scored a century seven years, 354 days after his ODI debut
However, the player who has the longest gap between his debut and first ODI hundred is Sunil Gavaskar. The former India skipper, who made his debut against England in Leeds in 1974, took 13 years and 110 days to notch up his first and only hundred.
Sunil Gavaskar achieved this feat in the 1987 World Cup match against New Zealand in Nagpur when he smashed an unbeaten 103 off 88 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes. India won the match by nine wickets to qualify for the semi-final.
New Zealand’s Neil Broom celebrates 100 runs during the second one-day international vs Bangladesh at the Saxton Oval in Nelson on Thursday (AFP)
Neil Broom’s international career had modest numbers. In 23 ODIs, he managed only 355 runs at an average of 17.75 while in 10 Twenty20 Internationals, he scored just 67 runs at an average of 13.40. Broom’s last ODI was in 2010 against Australia in Hamilton in 2010 and he faded away from the New Zealand set-up, until he was included in the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
Broom’s unbeaten 109 came off 107 balls and it included eight fours and three sixes. His knock was vital for New Zealand after they were reduced to 98/4 in the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Saxton Oval in Nelson. He shared a 64-run stand with Luke Ronchi for the sixth wicket and shared vital partnerships with the tail as New Zealand finished on 251 all out in fifty overs.
New Zealand lead the three-match series against Bangladesh 1-0, after they won the Christchurch ODI by 77 runs.
Source: HindustanTimes