Cricketers who scored centuries in both their first and last Tests

Test cricket is the ultimate form of cricket that tests a player’s skill, fitness, stamina, perseverance and cricketing intelligence to the extreme level. Every cricketer who represents his country wants to dawn the whites and prove his talent in this format so as to be known as a complete player.

A Test match century is the product of hours of hard work and determination in the nets the comes out of execution on the ground. An opportunity to feature in a Test match is an honour in itself and a century on debut just makes the occasion an ideal one for a batsman. It cant get any better if the same player signs off with another century to his name in his final match, further glorifying his cricket career and punctuating it with a fine full stop.

This article talks about four such cricketers who had the fair share of luck to go along with their talent to end up scoring centuries in both their first and last test matches.

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Mohammad Azharuddin

Azharuddin is the only player to have scored centuries in each of his first three tests

The stylish right-handed Hyderabad batsman and former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin made his debut in the 3rd Test match of the series against England in 1984, under the captaincy of Sunil Gavaskar.

Coming in to bat at number 5 at the fall of Mohinder Amarnath, young Azhar showed great application as he stitched a 214 run stand with Ravi Shastri as both of them compiled well deserved centuries.

His 110 run knock consisted of 10 hits to the boundary rope, each of which had elegance and grace written all over them, enough to make the Eden Gardens crowd stand up and applaud in appreciation.

The wristy batsman’s dreamy start to his career was not yet over as he went on to score centuries in each of his first three matches, the only player in the history of the sport to have achieved this feat till date.

However, the emphatic end to his career brought about by the ban imposed on him due to match-fixing allegations drew curtains on one of the most celebrated careers in Indian sport. In his final match before the ban, played against the Proteas at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Azharuddin, who was stripped of the captaincy earlier, stroked his way to a century that comprised of 13 boundaries and a couple of sixes.

His 102 run effort could not save India from an innings defeat at the hands of the visiting South Africans and the match was followed by him going down in history as the first player ever to be banned for spot-fixing.

M: 99 | Inn: 147 | Runs: 6215 | HS: 199 | Avg: 45.04 | 100’s: 22

Greg Chappell

Greg Chappell later went on to become a controversial Indian coach

In the second Ashes Test of the 1970-71 edition played at the WACA in Perth, Australia handed Gregory S Chappell his maiden Test cap. Making his debut under captain William Laura, the younger of the Chappell brothers was considered as a cricketer with all-round ability and came in to bat at number 7.

His 218 balls stay at the crease fetched 108 runs and helped bail out his team from a precarious 107-5 to a total of 440 which also gave them a first innings lead. His 219 runs stand with Ian Redpath included equal contributions from both partners as Greg’s 110 runs constituted 10 boundaries.

In his last match, one against the visiting Pakistani side in Sydney in 1984, Greg came in at number four and once again proved the vital cog in the Australian batting order. His stay at the crease which lasted 400 balls tired the opposition bowling attack as his 182 run knock put his team in the driver’s seat.

Having won the match by 10 wickets, Greg’s effort with the bat earned him the award for the Player of the Match in his final appearance.

M: 87 | Inn: 151 | Runs: 7110 | HS: 247* | Avg: 53.86 | 100’s: 24

Reginald Duff

Duff became the first man to hit a debut century batting at the number 10 position

Better known as Reggie Duff, the Australian made his debut in the New Year Test of the 1901-02 Ashes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After having top scored in the first innings with 32 out of a total of 112, he had helped his team gain a 51 run lead over England who were bundled out for 61.

In a bizarre match situation, the specialist opening batsman that he was, Duff was held back till number 10 in the batting order due to a pitch that had a multitude of demons enough to scare any batsman. His second innings effort of a 104 meant that he became the first man to score a debut century at that position and was more than enough for an Australian victory.

He went on to represent Australia in 22 Tests in all, his career being cut short by alcoholism which led to his death in 1911. In his last Test match at the Oval in London in 1905, he once again top-scored for his team with a 146 run knock as an opener.

He thus signed off on a high and will remain the first man to have achieved the feat of scoring a century in his first as well as the final Test match, the only two he scored in his entire career.

M: 22 | Inn: 40 | Runs: 1317 | HS: 146 | Avg: 35.59 | 100’s: 2

Bill Ponsford

Ponsford was one of the initial inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

William Bill Ponsford was one of the most legendary cricketers to have represented Australian cricket. Making his debut in the Sydney Test of the 1924-25 Ashes, he came in to bat at number three and partnered with his captain Herbert Collins to build a 190 run stand. He hit 8 fours en route his 110 run effort which eventually helped his team win the match.

Renowned for his ability to counter spin bowling, the heavy built batsman plundered bowling attacks as he amassed runs in first class cricket. His ability against the pacers though put a question mark on his completeness as a batsman as the Bodyline Ashes of 1932-33 played a huge role in cutting short his career.

In his last Test appearance at the Kennington Oval, London in 1934, Ponsford opened the batting and combined with number three batsman Sir Donal Bradman to pile up misery for the English bowlers as the duo stitched a 451 run stand- an Australian record for any wicket till date. 27 balls were dispatched to the fence en route his career-best 266 run knock as the Aussies thumped the Englishmen by a whopping margin of 562 runs and took back the Ashes 2-1.

Ponsford was a great servant o Australian cricket and his services have been recognised with a stand named after him at the majestic MCG and a statue outside the pavilion gates.

M: 29 | Inn: 48 | Runs: 2122 | HS: 266 | Avg: 48.23 | 100’s: 7