Slowest Centuries in ODI Cricket History

The slowest century in ODI Cricket (most balls faced) was made by David Boon.Building a long innings can be just as valuable as a quickfire knock. In this post, we’ll look at some of the slowest centuries in ODI cricket history. These innings may have lacked fireworks, but they were pivotal in their own way.

Slowest Centuries in ODI Cricket History

One Day International (ODI) cricket is meant to be fast-paced, with 300+ team totals common nowadays. Seeing a batsman strike at less than a run a ball for an entire innings is a rarity these days. However, there have been some remarkably slow centuries in the history of ODI cricket:

The slowest ever ODI century was scored by Australian David Boon who took 166 balls to reach triple figures against India in 1991. His 102* took over 3 hours!

-Only 4 centuries have ever taken over 150 balls in men’s ODIs. Geoff Marsh, Rameez Raja, and Scott Styris are the other three batsmen. In the 2019 World Cup, South African batsman Hashim Amla scored a century at a strike rate of just 63.9. It’s the slowest World Cup century. Indian legend Rahul Dravid has the record of the slowest ODI century by an Indian which he scored in 144 balls.

So why would batsmen play so slowly in an ODI? Let’s look at the reasons behind some of these marathon ODI innings.

Most Sixes in a Single ODI Match by a Player

10 Slowest Centuries in Men’s ODI Cricket History

1. David Boon – 166 balls (Australia vs India, 1991)

Australian opener David Boon holds the record for one of the slowest centuries in ODI history. In a match against India in 1991, he reached 102* from 168 balls on a difficult Hobart pitch.

Boon hit only 8 fours during his 318-minute stay at the crease. Despite the slow pace, his century helped Australia chase down a modest target of 176 with more than 5 overs remaining, thanks to his steady innings.

2. Rameez Raja – 157 balls (Pakistan vs West Indies, 1992)

In Pakistan’s opening match of the 1992 international cricket World Cup, Rameez Raja scored 102 off 158 balls on a sluggish Melbourne Cricket Ground surface. He struck just 4 boundaries.

Pakistan managed to reach 220/2 in 50 overs, with Rameez anchoring the innings after an early loss of wickets. However, West Indies chased down the target comfortably with all 10 wickets intact.

3. Geoff Marsh – 156 balls (Australia vs England, 1989)  

Geoff Marsh played one of the slowest ODI knocks ever against England in 1989. His 111 off 162 balls helped Australia chase down a target of 279 with just 3 balls to spare. Marsh hit 7 fours during his 212-minute stay at the crease.

4. Rameez Raja – 152 balls (Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1990)

Rameez Raja appears again on the list of Slowest Centuries in ODI Cricket with his 107* off 154 balls against Sri Lanka in 1990. Adding 202 runs with Saeed Anwar for the first wicket, Raja’s slow innings helped Pakistan post an imposing 315/3 in 50 overs. They successfully defended the total, winning by 27 runs.

5. Scott Styris – 152 balls (New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 2007)

Styris was known more for his big hitting, but in this 2007 World Cup clash, with New Zealand losing early wickets, he held the innings together with 111 off 157 balls on a sluggish surface.

However, Sri Lanka chased the small target of 220 comfortably with 6 wickets in hand.

6. Tom Cooper – 151 balls (Netherlands vs Afghanistan, 2010) 

In a World Cricket League match in 2010, Tom Cooper scored 101 for the Netherlands off 155 balls.

He hit 9 boundaries in his 180-minute effort. Cooper’s century was the backbone of the Netherlands’ 202/8, but Afghanistan chased it down comfortably with nearly 6 overs left.

7. Geoff Marsh – 150 balls (Australia vs West Indies, 1991)

Geoff Marsh makes his second entry on this list with his 106* off 158 balls against West Indies in 1991.

Batting first, West Indies had scored 251 and Marsh’s gritty century was instrumental in Australia chasing down the target with 6 wickets in hand.

8. David Hemp – 150 balls (Bermuda vs Kenya, 2009)

Bermudan batsman David Hemp scored 102* off 152 balls against Kenya in a 2009 World Cup qualifying encounter.

He held the innings together but his 150-ball ton couldn’t prevent defeat for Bermuda. Kenya raced to the target with 5 overs to spare.

9. Shai Hope – 149 balls (West Indies vs India, 2019) 

In the 3rd ODI on India’s tour of West Indies in 2019, Shai Hope scored a patient 102* off 151 balls on a sluggish Chennai surface.

His 149-ball ton guided West Indies’ successful chase of 288 with 8 wickets in hand.

10. David Boon – 146 balls (Australia vs West Indies, 1992)

David Boon’s second entry in this list is his 100* off 147 balls against West Indies in the 1992 World Cup.

Boon was watchful once again, striking 8 fours in his 146-ball ton to help Australia recover to 216/6. They then bowled out West Indies for just 159 to win the match easily.

Frequently Asked Questions about Slow ODI Centuries