5 times a number 11 batter scored a first-class century ft. Tushar Deshpande

Rare are the occasions in which the last batter to walk out for a team - at number 11 - scores a century in first-class cricket, but by no means are they improbable.

History has borne witness to several such occasions in which players walking out at number 11 have scored tons and helped their teams in either getting a big lead or pushing them towards victory.

The latest of these cases was in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season when Mumbai's number 11 Tushar Deshpande scored a scintillating 123 in the second innings against Baroda.

He was assisted in his task by off-spinner Tanush Kotian, who walked out at number 10 and scored an equally able 120.

In this listicle, we bring to you five times a number 11 batter has scored a century in first-class cricket:

#1 Tushar Deshpande

Tushar Deshpande is the latest entrant into this list after the stunning ton he scored while batting at number 11 against Baroda in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.

Deshpande built up a solid partnership with Tanush Kotian, who came in at number 10, making this innings a rare and momentous occasion in which both the number 10 and 11 of the team scored centuries.

It helped Mumbai take a massive lead in the second innings and, in turn, qualify for the semifinals.

#2 Shute Banerjee

One of the most memorable occasions of a number 11 batter registering a century in first-class cricket came in the year 1946 when Shute Banerjee, of Bengal, scored a ton coming in last against Surrey at the Oval in London.

This was the first time that Nos. 10 and 11 scored hundreds in the same innings, as Chandu Sarwate, who came in ahead of Banerjee, also scored a century.

Banerjee, who had already had two first-class centuries before this game, was annoyed by the fact that he had to bat last, and proved his detractors wrong.

#3 Thomas Hastings

Thomas Hastings has a special place on this list, since he was the first man to achieve the feat of coming in at number 11 and scoring a century in a first-class match.

This was also the first ton Hastings had scored in any form of cricket. He did this in a Sheffield Shield game against South Australia while turning up for Victoria in Melbourne.

The wicketkeeper-batter put on a big partnership of 211 runs with number nine Matthew Ellis, who also scored his maiden first-class ton.

#4 Arthur Gilligan

Arthur Gilligan, known most famously for having led England in the Ashes tour of Australia in 1924-25, scored his maiden first-class century for Cambridge University against Sussex coming in at number 11 in 1919.

He was fortunate enough to score a dozen first-class centuries in all, and it is safe to say that he did not bat at number 11 after that century against Sussex, which would also turn out to be his future county. Gilligan was renowned for hitting the ball hard lower down the order.

#5 Peter Smith

The highest first-class score by a No. 11 is a whopping 163 by the Essex and England leg-spinner Peter Smith.

Smith achieved this stunning feat while playing for Essex against Derbyshire in Chesterfield in 1947.

He put on 214 runs for the 10th wicket with Frank Vigar, and was largely responsible for his team getting a massive lead under their belt.

Essex's official history records that Vigar tried to farm the strike and keep Smith away from the bowlers, but the latter's impressive showing upturned the former's intentions.