The five fastest centuries of all time in test cricket

Viv Richards, West Indies v England, St John's 1986
56 BALLS

The hapless tourists came to Antigua 4-0 down. West Indies' 'Master Blaster' reached 103 in 56 balls to secure the infamous 5-0 'blackwash'. Richards came to the crease soon before tea, and reached his half century in 35 balls soon after the interval. Sixes flew in all directions thereafter. Another flew out of the ground into the adjacent prison. England spinner John Emburey described it as "the biggest carnage I has seen in such a short space of time in any first-class game".

Adam Gilchrist, Australia v England, Perth 2006
57 BALLS

I would have guessed Viv Richards was anywhere in the mix, Australia's wicket-keeper said after planting England's bowlers - mostly Monty Panesar - all over the WACA. Having scored two ducks already in the series, there was no reason to propose Gilchrist would go on to beat four sixes and 12 fours. Richards' record had looked in sight when Panesar was dismissing for 24 in one over. With the shadows expansion, it was 103 minutes of pure power-hitting joy.

Jack Gregory, Australia v South Africa, Johannesburg 1921
67 BALLS

Gregory enjoyed a brief but crashing Test career. He had hinted of his intention before entering the fray at Johannesburg when the expert Australian blasted a ton in 135 minutes in the MCG Test earlier in the year. next to South Africa he did it in 70 minutes - still the fastest of all time - as Australia went on to gain a historic series win.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, West Indies v Australia, Georgetown 2003
69 BALLS

Dour and set for the most part, on this day controlling and merciless. The second West Indian to make the list, albeit one with a puzzling V stance, who left Australia clueless in Georgetown. Most group would have turned off the TV when Brian Lara was dismissed, leaving West Indies' precariously placed on 47-4. But Ridley Jacobs's unbeaten 54 gave conflict to Chanderpaul (15 fours, two sixes), with no one else able to muster over 30. It was the hosts' only respite as Australia won by nine wickets.

David Warner, Australia v India, Perth 2012
69 BALLS

There is only one ground but left-hander David Warner made it look like two after India had been bowled out for a paltry 161 soon after tea. The firework ensued thereafter, Warner unleashing an attack of stroke play, as well as straight sixes down the ground, to reach his second Test century in just 69 balls. "I was looking at my strike-rate and I said this ain't test cricket, this is a little different," he said later. After an engrossing first day, he wasn't far wrong.

Australia Perth test David Warner celebrate the Test history

David Warner celebrate after scoring a 69-ball hundred on Perth test took Australia less than three sessions to seize control of the Perth Test. After they send home India for 161 just later than the tea break, David Warner (104*) cracked the fourth-fastest hundred in Test history, adding up 149 unbeaten runs with fellow opener Ed Cowan (40*). The chance pair was untroubled all over the last session against a harmless-looking Indian bowling attack in spite of the situation at WACA offering plenty of bounce, seam and swing during the day.

Warner, one of the faces of Australia’s new making of Test cricketers, smashed 13 fours and three sixes en route to his 2nd Test100, leaves Australia a small deficit of 12 runs and India stare at their seventh immediately defeat overseas. Since Cowan wicket in the Sydney Test, India have now accepted 771 runs for one wicket – a stunning statistic that illustrate the difference between the two sides. Out swinger Ben Hilfenhaus and 2nd-change Peter Siddle stayed true to their fast form with the ball, taking seven wickets between them, stretch their series tallies to 19 and 14 wickets, in that order.

Captain Michael Clarke elected to bowl as both side choose to play four pacers each. The home teams recall left-armer Mitchell Starc in spinner Nathan Lyon’s place, while Ryan Harris replaces the upset James Pattinson. India had Vinay Kumar in R Ashwin place.Despite Australia missing the penetrative ability of Pattinson, Harris claims the big wicket of Sachin Tendulkar (15), which despite another constructive start, fell LBW after one of the many sight-screen related distraction.

Virat Kohli, who was probable to make way for Rohit Sharma for this Test, top-scored with 44 brilliant, runs. But both he and VVS Laxman fell earlier than tea, having worked very hard for their 68-run stand. Siddle dismissed both. Kohli fell to the uppish drive to point, leasing his intolerance and greenness shine through with the release. Laxman was trapped at slip.

YET ANOTHER COLLAPSE

it took Australia 20 delivery to get going. Hilfenhaus bowled a beautifully-shaped out swinger to Sehwag. It started from outside leg-stump, landed around off-stump and constant moving away as it took the edge from Virender Sehwag’s (0) forward shifty. Rahul Dravid, whose defensive skills have come under question this series, was bowled for the fourth time this series. Siddle slip him a Yorker that deflects off his pads to the stumps. During his 35-ball stay Dravid rarely looked relaxed.

Tendulkar, however, didn’t look to have such problems. With a firm push down the ground and another through extra-cover, he fast moved to 12 and 13 balls. At this point, there were numerous stoppages due to movements around the sightscreen. Harris made the most of Tendulkar’s faltering deliberation. Where he should have offered a directly bat, Tendulkar tried to flick away an in swinger and was caught plumb in front. Six balls later, Gambhir, look his stanch best, hung his bat outside off over again and edged Hilfenhaus to Brad Haddin.

As has happen many times in England and Australia, Dhoni came out to bat with his team in tatters. He and the tail folded fast, with India behind their last six wickets in the space of 30 runs. With their lead all but gone, India needs a miracle or five to avert another defeat.