10 Dec 2024

Former Black Cap Jeet Raval narrowly misses out on slowest first-class ton

5:47 pm on 10 December 2024
Jeet Raval captain of the Northern Brave during his lengthy vigil at the crease against the Central Stags at Bay Oval in Tauranga.

Jeet Raval captain of the Northern Brave during his lengthy vigil at the crease against the Central Stags at Bay Oval in Tauranga. Photo: Photosport

After more than nine hours at the crease, Northern Districts captain Jeet Raval has come within seven minutes of setting a world record.

Raval scored a century at Bay Oval in Tauranga in their Plunket Shield match against Central Districts taking nine hours and 11 minutes - just six minutes quicker than the slowest first-class cricket century of all time - a record held by former Pakistan international Mudassar Nazar, set against England in Lahore in 1977/78.

The former Black Caps opener who played 24 tests between 2016-2020 almost apologetically raised his bat first ball after lunch, after scampering a tight single.

He was finally dismissed for 107 with the match ultimately ending in a draw.

Raval's dogged century ranks as the third slowest by time:

  • 9 hours and 17 minutes - Mudassar Nazar P v E Lahore 1977/78
  • 9 hours and 16 minutes - S Ramesh TN v Kerala Chennai 2001/02
  • 9 hours and 11 minutes - Jeet Raval ND v CD Mt Maunganui 2024/25

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