Netherlands captain Scott Edwards produced a sensational innings in Australian grade cricket on Thursday, smashing a rare double century in a T20 match.
Edwards was playing for Altona Sports Cricket Club in Victoria during round four of the T20 Division One Clenzo Group Shield against Williams Landing SC. Opening the batting, he scored 11 runs in the first over before hitting his stride in the fourth over, striking three boundaries off fast-bowling all-rounder Prince Chouhan. Back-to-back sixes followed, allowing him to reach a half-century from just 23 balls.
By the midway point of the innings, Edwards was just one run short of a remarkable century. He lost his opening partner, former Melbourne Stars player Lachlan Bangs, before reaching three figures, with the pair having taken Altona to 150-0 in the 11th over. Edwards eventually brought up his hundred with a single three balls later. As this was first-grade cricket, the innings does not count as an official T20 century.
Edwards continued to dominate, reaching 150 by the 17th over. He then accelerated through the final overs, hitting 14 boundaries in the last four overs, including 12 sixes. Altona, 212-2 at the end of the 16th over, finished on a massive 304-2, with Edwards unbeaten on 229 from 81 balls, including 14 fours and 23 sixes, at a strike rate of 282.71.
Although unofficial, the innings would have eclipsed Chris Gayle’s men’s T20 record of 175* set in 2013. Edwards’ highest recognised T20 score remains 99, and he has yet to register a professional hundred in any format.
Altona went on to win the match by 186 runs after bowling Williams Landing out for 118, highlighting the sheer dominance of Edwards’ innings. In the Division One Clenzo Group Shield standings, Altona now sit second, while Williams Landing are fourth out of six teams.
