Somerset 17-year-old Thomas Rew hit the fastest one-day century for England Under-19s as they levelled their 50-over series against India with a tense one-wicket win in Northampton.
England captain Rew made a sublime 131 from 89 balls, an innings packed full of effortless strokeplay, to break the back of a chase of 291 with England winning with three balls to spare.
Rew’s dismissal in the 40th over was the first of five lost for 49, leaving final pair Seb Morgan and Alex French to get 12 from 11 balls.
But while Morgan showed superb nerve to end 20 not out – he hit a four to seal the win halfway through the final over – the match will be best remembered for the innings of diminutive right-hander Rew, the younger brother of recent England call-up James.
Having come in at 47-3, Rew reached three figures in 73 balls – six deliveries quicker than Ben Foakes, who held the record after his century against New Zealand in 2012.
He put on 123 in 128 balls with Rocky Flintoff, the son of England legend Andrew, who was England’s next highest scorer with 39 off 68.
Rew targeted the leg side against India’s spinners with powerful pulls and slog sweeps while also playing an inventive reverse sweep for four, a glorious drive high over long-on off leg-spinner Mohammed Enaan for six and taking seamer RS Ambrish for 19 runs in one over with off-side drives.
And while his highly-rated brother has scored 10 first-class centuries by the age of 21, he did not score a century at Under-19 level, meaning the younger sibling has pipped him to that mark.
“There is a lot of competition in our family,” Rew said. “He messaged me just now saying ‘well done’ which is nice of him.
“It is up there [with the best innings he has played]. Once I got going I targeted the short boundary and tried to put the pressure back on the bowlers.
“The way Rocky spoke to me and we batted together, really helped us get on the front foot.”
Rew joined Somerset’s academy in 2023, a year after his brother, now 21, made his first-class debut.
James, who has said Thomas is “further ahead” than him at the same age, was named the Professional Cricket Association’s men’s young player of the year in 2023, having become Somerset’s youngest double centurion earlier that year.
He was called into England’s squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe earlier this year but did not play.
The five-match series continues at Northampton on Wednesday.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old who hit a century in the Indian Premier League earlier this year, also made 45 in India’s 290 all out. Surrey seamer French took 4-71 for England.
