New Zealand’s smashing opener Martin Guptill played a mind-boggling knock of 102 from just 38 balls as Worcestershire thrashed Northamptonshire by nine wickets in English county cricket’s Twenty20 Blast on Friday. While chasing a target the decent target of 188, visitors Worcestershire won with nearly seven overs to spare, with Joe Clarke making an unbeaten 61 off 33 balls.
Clarke and Guptill made the partnership of 162 in 10 overs. It did not take long for the experienced Guptill, who hit 12 fours and seven sixes, to get into his stride.
Incredible batting by @Martyguptill for @WorcsCCC!
He smashes a 35-ball 💯 – the joint-fourth fastest in T20 history
Watch every boundary: https://t.co/6e9L3hEVde pic.twitter.com/a13mMgC0z1
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) July 27, 2018
Martin kick-started the assault in the Richard Gleeson’s over in which he smashed as many as 22 runs, a flick over midwicket for six, two hits down the ground for four and a flick wide of the short-fine leg. South Africa’s Rory Kleinveldt replaced Gleeson and Rory couldn’t also manage to stop the flow of runs as he also went for 22 runs in his over as Guptill went to fifty in 20 balls.
ALSO READ: Moeen Ali to finish his career with Worcestershire
Guptill swept left-arm spinner Graeme White to deep-backward square leg, only for Seekkuge Prasanna to step over the boundary before a second slog-sweep cleared deep midwicket. Later, the flamboyant right-hander drove Prasanna over long-on for six and wide of long-off for four and Martin went to 90 before Kyle Coetzer was straight driven for four and flicked over midwicket for six to bring up the batsman’s century.
But trying to lift Gleeson over mid-on, he was well caught by Josh Cobb but by then the game was almost won.
