NZ vs ENG 1st Test: RCB Batter Makes Unique Test Record; Equals Luke Ronchi With 37-Ball Fifty

England debutant Jacob Bethell scored a fifty from 37 deliveries and inked a record by scoring second-quickest half-century on Test debut.

Christchurch (New Zealand): Batting at No.3 on his Test debut, Jacob Bethell scripted a record during the victory against New Zealand in the opening fixture of the Test series. The England batter is getting a lot of praise from the cricket fraternity for his hitting skills in white-ball cricket. Now, the youngster showed his skill in red-ball cricket as well by facing a testing spell for his first 34 deliveries at the crease. And then capitalising on it in the later stages.

Only one player has scored half-century in Test cricket at a more brisk pace - Tim Southee. He scored a 29-ball fifty against England in Napier in 2008. The only other batter to score fifty on his Test debut as quickly as Bethell is Luke Ronchi who scripted the record during his knock of 88 runs from 70 balls at Headingley in 2015 to help the Black Caps to level the series.

The fastest fifty in Test history was made by the former Pakistan batter Misbah-ul-Haq’s 21-ball against Australia in 2015. Ben Stokes reached the mark in 24 balls at Edgbaston against West Indies.

Bethell was picked in the IPL mega auction by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a price of ₹2.60 crores.

Despite Bethell not having any experience batting at No.3, the debate around the middle order’s batting unit might get a solution. Bethell has played seven T20Is so far scoring 173 runs with an average of 57.66. He has also amassed 167 runs in seven ODI innings with an average of 27.83.