South Africa batsman AB de Villiers hit a century off 31 balls to record the fastest ever one-day international ton. De Villiers, 30, set the new landmark during an innings of 149 against the West Indies in Johannesburg. He smashed eight fours and 10 sixes in beating the previous ODI record of 36 balls by New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson against West Indies last year. “I was on 92 when I realised it was going to be close. I wasn’t going to take singles in the nineties,” he said. “I got really fired up in the changing room and sort of played my knock before I even came out to bat. “Aggression was the main thing for me today – I just wanted to go right from the start.” Chris Gayle’s 100 from 30 balls in the Indian Premier League in April 2013 is the fastest century in cricket history. South Africa scored 439-2 as they registered their highest ever ODI score, beating the 438-9 in a win against Australia in March 2006. The total was just four short of the all-time ODI record score of 443-9 set by Sri Lanka against Netherlands in July 2006. Openers Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw also both hit centuries but ODI captain De Villiers stole the show with his spectacular innings. De Villiers raced to 50 off 16 deliveries to surpass Sanath Jayasuriya’s 19-year record for the fastest ODI fifty. He ended up with 149 off 44 balls, hitting nine fours and 16 sixes, the latter equalling the record for the most number of maximums in an ODI innings. In the second of a five-match ODI series against Windies, De Villiers was eventually out when caught at deep extra cover with two balls left off the bowling of Andre Russell. “He said he was going to have a look for one over but hit his first six balls for 24,” said Test captain Amla. “He is an amazing player.”
