Maddy Green etched her name in the history books with a breathtaking century, smashing the fastest recorded List A hundred in New Zealand and also the fastest by a New Zealand Women.
The North Island skipper reached the milestone in just 56 balls, surpassing the previous best of 57 deliveries set by Australia’s Karen Rolton during the 2000 World Cup at the same venue, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln. This stunning knock powered North Island Women to a commanding seven-wicket victory over South Island Women in the second match of the three-game series.
Batting first, South Island Women posted a competitive 280/8, with Bella James (64 off 61), Hayley Jensen (59 off 53), and Caitlin Blakely (51 off 65) leading the charge. Jess Kerr (2/41) and Bree Illing (2/50) were the standout bowlers for North Island Women. Chasing 281, North Island cruised to victory in 41.2 overs, thanks to Green’s explosive 109* off 59 balls and Jess Watkin’s solid 115* off 122. Their efforts sealed a 2-0 series lead for North Island Women.
Green’s record-breaking knock also saw her surpass the previous fastest List A hundred by a New Zealand woman, held jointly by Aimee Watkins and Sophie Devine, both of whom reached their centuries in 59 balls. Her innings, which featured 19 fours and lasted just 79 minutes, reinforced her reputation as one of the most dangerous batters in New Zealand cricket.
This century is just the latest highlight in what has been a sensational season for Green. In the 2024/25 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, New Zealand’s domestic competition, she was in scintillating form, amassing 698 runs in 11 matches at an average of 69.80. Her campaign included three centuries and three fifties, with a best of 126. She played a crucial role in the final, scoring 126 off 123 balls, though Auckland fell just short in a thrilling chase by Otago.
Green’s brilliance has extended to the international stage as well. During Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand 2025, she played a pivotal role in the White Ferns’ 2-0 ODI series victory, hammering a 100 off 109 balls in the second ODI and a quickfire 32 off 24 in the third. She continued her dominance against Australia, smashing 62 off 35 balls in the third T20I.
Her blistering List A century, coupled with her outstanding domestic and international form, cements her status as one of the most formidable batters in the game today. As North Island Women march forward with an unassailable lead in the series, and Green’s confidence soaring, the cricketing world eagerly awaits what more she has in store.
(Inputs sourced from Hypocaust and White Ferns)
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