Doug Walters' amazing milestone (Source: @ICC/x.com)
Since the game of cricket was introduced to the world, the sport delivered some of the best memories to the fans. From blazing spells to edge-of-the-seat drama, the game never fails to thrill, and some batter performances have left the world in awe.
When a batter walks out to bat, the hunger to deliver their best is unstoppable. Fans dream of a sparkling hundred, but sometimes destiny flips the script, gifting a double century instead. But what does it feel like when a batter smashes a double hundred along with a hundred?
It sounds unreal, yet in 1969, the cricketing world saw a batter achieve the unimaginable, scoring both a hundred and a double hundred in a single Test match. Let’s explore who is the batter that set the benchmark on high.
Doug Walters defines greatness before anyone else
The game of cricket has recorded some historic feats since the game was introduced, but some of them stand the test of time. From blazing half-centuries to breathtaking centuries and unforgettable double hundreds, fans have been treated to masterclasses that leave the world in awe.
In the recent Test match against West Indies, Devon Conway achieved the rare feat of scoring a hundred and a double hundred in the same innings. But the game has seen it decades ago. Back in 1969, Australian star Doug Walters stunned the cricketing world with the same achievement against the West Indies, being the first batter to achieve the milestone.
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The batter doesn’t chase runs; the double hundred finds him
Facing the West Indies in the fifth match of the five-match Test series, Australia faced the West Indies in the last match, and the world saw a hero who no one imagined. Batting first, the Australians were tested hard as the West Indies bowlers turned the opening innings into a fierce battle.
After Australia lost three wickets in 51 runs, Doug Walters joined Bill Lawry in the crease. Walters tightened his grip, scoring a gritty half-century. Dominating the Caribbean bowlers, he converted the half-century into a spectacular hundred.
Just as the Caribbean bowlers searched for a way to end his onslaught, Walters grew even more ruthless, piling on the runs with growing authority. Channeling his exceptional form, he crossed the iconic 150-run mark.
The opponent troubled the other Aussie batter, but Walters stood tall amidst all storms. Being even more destructive, he smashed a magnificent double hundred, pushing Australia towards a grand total.
Even after the double ton, Walters showed no signs of slowing down, setting his sights on an even bigger milestone. The rhythm was interrupted in the middle as Lance Gibbs dismissed him in 242 runs in 412 balls with 24 boundaries. Powered by that monumental knock, Australia went on to post a towering first-innings total of 619 runs.
Calm, courage, and class as Walters delivers again
After Walters’ double hundred, West Indies were already having a nightmare, but Walters had more to deliver. Coming to bat in the second innings, Australia faced batting woes again, but the Australian batter stood like a warrior again. Partnering with Ian Redpath at the crease, Walters once more flipped the script and turned trouble into dominance.
He started the second innings where he left off in the first innings. Dominating the Caribbean bowlers, he smashed a gritty 50, and continuing his exceptional form, he smashed a courageous century. His resolute 103 off 181 balls powered Australia to declare at 394 for 8, capping a truly remarkable performance.
With a magnificent double hundred followed by a stunning century, the world took a pause and applauded Doug Walters’ brilliance. Since the inception of the game, the world has witnessed the tale of a hundred and double hundred, but producing both in a single Test match remains a feat of rare greatness, one reserved only for true heroes of the sport like Doug Walters.
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