Sean Abbott has entered the record books with a blazing century in England’s T20 Blast competition.
Just days after it was announced he would be added to Australia’s pre-WTC final training group, Abbott flicked into T20 mode and blasted an unbeaten hundred, the first of his career, as Surrey defeated Kent by 41 runs at the Oval.
He reached three figures off 34 deliveries, the equal-fourth fastest T20 century of all time and tied with Andrew Symonds as the fastest on English soil.
Abbott, who a day earlier didn’t even get a bat and was listed at No.9 in Surrey’s win over Middlesex, came to the crease at 4-64 needing to rebuild the innings.
The allrounder worked his way responsibly to 28 off 17, before unleashing on the Spitfires’ bowlers, including South African George Linde and Australians Kane Richardson and Michael Hogan. Richardson copped a barrage in the 18th over, with Abbott nailing three fours and three sixes to take 30 runs off his countryman’s over.
Abbott then took Hogan for successive sixes to reach the milestone, before finishing unbeaten on 110 off 41 deliveries.
See all the Blast scorecards here
For the 31-year-old allrounder, who has a first-class century to his name, the moment he finally realised his potential with the bat in the shortest form of the game had finally arrived.
As a 21-year-old, Abbott played seven matches for the Sydney Thunder in BBL|02, batting in the top seven on all occasions but never quite nailing his opportunity.
For most of his highly successful career with the Sydney Sixers, he has occupied the No.7 or No.8 positions, producing a highest score of 41 from 76 innings over his entire career.
But it was his 77th innings, which including a whopping 11 sixes, that drew comparisons to Symonds, whose first anniversary of his passing was only weeks ago.
“I don’t think people should be thinking about me and ‘Roy’ in the same breath,” Abbott said after his whirlwind innings.
“But it was a lot of fun. I was just grateful to find the middle of the bat.”
When asked about relatively lean BBL|12 campaign with the bat, where he scored 51 runs in seven innings, Abbott responded: “Have to have a chat with Moises Henriques back home – maybe I’m batting too low!
“No, we’ve got a class side back home at the Sixers, so I can’t ask to bat too much higher. Just grateful for this opportunity.”
Elsewhere, Glenn Maxwell’s first outing for the Birmingham Bears was a good one, knocking together 47 off 27 balls in his side’s five-wicket victory over Leicestershire.
Chasing the Foxes’ 7-166, Maxwell combined with Gold Coast-born Sam Hain (65no) for a 90-run stand that put the result beyond doubt.
It was a tough outing for Northamptonshire duo Chris Lynn and Andrew Tye as Durham romped to a dominant 10-wicket victory.
Lynn was out in the first over for a third-ball duck while Tye send down two overs for 22 runs.
Although he sent down two priceless overs (0-4), Turner wasn’t required with the bat as openers Graham Clark (102no) and Alex Lees (37no) chased the target of 138 with ease.
Peter Siddle got the win over fellow Aussie quick Nathan McAndrew in Somerset’s five-wicket win over Sussex.
Siddle took 1-41 as England veteran Ravi Bopara (88no) wound back the clock to set an impressive 8-183, but Somerset chased it down with three balls to spare, McAndrew returning a respectable 0-30 from his four overs.
Ben McDermott found some touch in Hampshire’s big win over Middlesex, scoring 39 off 29 before teammate and opening partner James Vince (88no) got Hampshire home with 13 balls to spare.
