Anderson smashes fastest ton as NZ thrash WI

Corey Anderson scores a century off just 36 balls as the Kiwis hammer West Indies by 159 runs in rain-affected 3rd ODI.

Corey Anderson broke Shahid Afridi's record that had stood for 17 years [Getty Images]

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson scored the quickest century ever in international cricket – off just 36 balls- as the Kiwis thrashed West Indies by 159 runs in a rain-affected third One-Day International.

Shahif Afridi had scored a 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in 1996 and had remained the fastest across all formats of the international game before Anderson, 23, brought up the mark with his 12th six of the innings after the match was reduced to a 21-over match due to rain.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum (33 off 11 balls) started the onslaught before Jesse Ryder (104), who completed his hundred in 46 balls, and Anderson added 191 runs for the fourth wicket.

In reply, West Indies could only manage 124-5 off their alloted overs.

“It’s one of those things you don’t plan on doing when you go out there but obviously with it (being) a reduced game it makes it easier to go harder at it earlier and Brendon showed his intent early on and Jesse played an unbelievable innings as well,” Anderson said in a televised interview.

“I think we went pretty good together.

“I was hitting boundaries and he was hitting boundaries. It was just one of those things that comes off.

“I think me and Jesse were thinking every ball was going to get us out or go for six so it was nice to have that feeling out there and get them out of the middle.”

Anderson remained unbeaten on 131 off 47 balls with 14 sixes and half a dozen fours to take New Zealand to a mammoth 283 for four wickets in their innings.

Source: Reuters