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England’s unique cricket tournament, The Hundred, is due to start in early August.
Unlike traditional T20 games where 120 legal balls are bowled, this is a slightly shorter format, with, as the name suggests, only 100 balls per innings.
What it means is that there’s less time to score big runs, so not surprisingly the competition has only seen three batsmen go past the 100-run mark.
But who are those batsmen, who else has come close, and what are the highest scores recorded in the history of The Hundred?
Here are the top seven innings in the history of the men’s competition.
1. Will Jacks: 108 not out
- Invincibles vs Brave at The Oval
- Season: 2022
- Strike rate: 225.0
Will Jacks became the first player to truly explode in The Hundred format when he belted a phenomenal 108 not out for Oval Invincibles against Southern Brave in 2022.
His innings came off just 48 balls and included eight sixes and ten fours. It was a brutal display of power-hitting that lit up The Oval and helped the Invincibles to a crushing seven-wicket victory.
It was a statement knock that combined clean striking, composure, and a deep understanding of the short format. Even more impressively, it came while chasing a target, underlining Jacks’ potential as a game-finisher.
2. Harry Brook: 105 not out
- Northern Superchargers vs Welsh Fire at Headingley
- Season: 2023
- Strike rate: 250.0
In terms of strike rate, Harry Brook’s century is arguably the most destructive of the lot. The Northern Superchargers star smashed 105 not out from just 42 balls against Welsh Fire in 2023.
But it wasn’t enough to secure a win as his teammates struggled alarmingly – Adam Hose (15) aside, Brook was the only player not dismissed for single figures as he dominated the scoring contributing 105 out of a total of 158.
Brook was relentless from the outset, launching the ball to all corners of Headingley. His strike rate of 250.0 remains the highest for any score over 90 in the tournament’s history.
The innings highlighted his growing reputation as one of England’s most dynamic middle-order batters and added further weight to calls for his regular inclusion in England’s white-ball squads.
Also read – The Hundred 2025: Everything you need to know and where to watch worldwide
3. Will Smeed: 101 not out
- Phoenix vs Brave at Edgbaston
- Season: 2022
- Strike rate: 202.0
Will Smeed made history in 2022 as the first player ever to score a hundred in The Hundred. The Birmingham Phoenix opener achieved the milestone with a fluent, risk-free knock that perfectly balanced aggression with technical poise.
His 101 not out came off 50 balls and was marked by impressive control and a strong sense of timing, with boundaries flowing without the need for slogging.
It was a landmark innings that set a benchmark for future batters in the competition, demonstrating that even in a 100-ball format, centuries were possible with proper planning and execution.
4. Dawid Malan: 98 not out
- Rockets vs Originals at Old Trafford
- Season: 2022
- Strike rate: 222.72
Just two runs short of joining the century club, Dawid Malan’s unbeaten 98 against the Manchester Originals was a classy innings that reaffirmed his pedigree as one of England’s most consistent white-ball batters.
He struck nine boundaries and five sixes in a 44-ball innings that had a bit of everything: cover drives, sweeps, ramps, and sheer brute force.
Malan timed his acceleration to perfection and might well have gone on to make three figures had the Rockets innings not ended just before he had the chance. As far as near-misses go, this was as close, and as polished, as they come.
5. Dan Lawrence: 93
- Spirit vs Rockets at Lord’s
- Season: 2023
- Strike rate: 189.79
Dan Lawrence is not necessarily the first name that comes to mind in a list of explosive hitters, but in 2023 he produced one of the most eye-catching innings in The Hundred.
Playing for London Spirit, Lawrence took on the Rockets at Lord’s and hammered a rapid 93 off just 49 balls. It was a beautifully measured innings, punctuated by some inventive stroke play and nimble footwork.
He showed that you don’t need brute strength to make an impact and that timing, placement, and game awareness can be just as lethal. It was a career-best knock in the format and one that raised his profile significantly.
6. Liam Livingstone: 92 not out
- Phoenix vs Superchargers at Lord’s
- Season: 2021
- Strike rate: 230.0
Livingstone is one of the biggest and most feared hitters in world cricket, and his unbeaten 92 for Birmingham Phoenix in 2021 remains one of the most memorable innings in The Hundred’s short history.
Coming off just 40 balls, his innings included 10 sixes, the most in a single innings at the time, and it turned a solid total into a match-winning one.
It was classic Livingstone: muscular, fearless, and unrelenting. Though he narrowly missed out on a century, it confirmed his status as the competition’s most dangerous finisher, and one of its most watchable stars.
7. Ben Duckett: 92
- Phoenix vs Brave at Edgbaston
- Season: 2024
- Strike rate: 173.58
In 2024, Ben Duckett joined the ranks of those just shy of a century with a typically innovative 92 against Southern Brave. Duckett’s ability to reverse sweep and work angles was on full display as he manipulated the field expertly across his 53-ball innings.
Though his strike rate was the lowest among this elite group, it was still an innings of great control and strategic intent. He took on the spinners with confidence and used the pace of the quicks cleverly.
While he fell short of the milestone, it was a pivotal innings in the context of Phoenix’s campaign.
Read next – The Hundred 2025 tickets on sale: General sale, ticket prices and VIP options
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