Top ten debut knocks in Test matches

1. Lawrence Rowe (West Indies – 214 & 100* vs New Zealand, Kingston, February 1972)

A feat that would be repeated against his side by Kiwi batsman Matthew Sinclair in 1999, Windies batsman Lawrence Rowe played a blistering innings of 214 against New Zealand at Kingston, sending all the bowlers on a leather hunt while hitting 19 boundaries and a six in his marathon knock.

Kiwi opener Glenn Turner responded with 223, and Rowe promptly struck an unbeaten century in West Indies’ second innings,, getting his side to a creditable draw. He thus became the first player to score both a double century and a hundred in his debut Test, and would go on to score a magnificent triple century in 1974.