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Brendon McCullum Hits World's Fastest Test Century. Wow

Brendon McCullum Hits World's Fastest Test Century To Give New Zealand A 313-Run Lead
New Zealandâs captain Brendon McCullum, right, shakes hands with Australiaâs captain Steve Smith as he makes his way to the crease in his final test on the first day of the second International Cricket Test match at Hagley Park Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday Feb. 20, 2016. (Ross Setford/SNPA via AP) NEW ZEALAND OUT
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New Zealandâs captain Brendon McCullum, right, shakes hands with Australiaâs captain Steve Smith as he makes his way to the crease in his final test on the first day of the second International Cricket Test match at Hagley Park Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday Feb. 20, 2016. (Ross Setford/SNPA via AP) NEW ZEALAND OUT

Fifty-four balls. That's how long it took Brendon McCullum to hit the world's fastest Test century on day one of the second Test between Australia and Brendon McCullum's bat in Christchurch.

Sorry. Technically, that should be Australia vs New Zealand, not Australia versus Brendon McCullum's bat. But let's face it. When the Kiwi batsman is in this sort of form, he's basically the entire new Zealand team.

The Black Caps piled 370 runs on the visitors, who replied with 1-57 when stumps was called to trail by 313.

Here's a stat you'll like. McCullum scored a century in the same time it took New Zealand's best batsman, Kane Williamson, to make just seven runs.

The previous two fastest Test tons were both off scored of 56 balls. The record was jointly held by the great West Indian Viv Richards and Pakistaini slugger Misbah-ul-Haq. Australia's Adam Gilchrist has now been knocked off the podium and sits fourth with his 57 ball hundred scored at Pert against the Poms in the summer of 2006/07. You can read the full list here.

McCullum was eventually dismissed for 145 off just 79 balls. New Zealand was 5-253 when he departed and well out of trouble. McCullum hit six sixes, which means he's now the world record holder for most sixes hit in Test cricket too. You can read that list here.

Earlier today Australian captain Steve Smith again won the toss, and again sent the Kiwis in on a wicket which looked more green than Hobbiton

As they had done in the first Test last week, Australia made early breakthroughs and had the hosts reeling at 3 for 32. But then McCullum did what McCullum has been doing for many years now. He hasn't quite done it as consistently as some would have liked. His batting average of 38 is seven or eight runs short of greatness.

But when he's good, as he was this Saturday, he's bloody awesome. Ricky Ponting once said of a Brendon McCullum Indian Premier League (IPL) innings that it was the best innings he'd ever seen. This innings, in McCullum's 101st and last test, wouldn't have been far off.

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