image_20130830002635

Aaron Finch recorded the highest individual score in T20 Internationals © Getty Images (File photo)

Aug 29, 2013

Australia opener Aaron Finch hit the highest individual Twenty20 International score as England’s bowlers were made to suffer in the first T20 international at Southampton on Thursday.

Finch’s stunning innings of 156 from just 63 balls powered Australia to 248 for six after they were sent into bat.

The 26-year-old Victorian reached all of his landmarks with a six, including a first-ball six off England paceman Steven Finn.

Finch’s innings saw him surpass the previous Twenty20 world record of 123 set by New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum against Bangladesh at Pallekele in September last year.

Remarkably, Finch got off the mark, reached his 50, hundred and 150, with sixes.

Indeed his 14 sixes were also a world record for the most in any T20 individual T20 international innings.
Finch’s century was only the 10th in all T20 internationals, the first by an Australian and the first by any batsman at this level in England.

His extraordinary innings ended when he was bowled by seamer Jade Dernach who, in the midst of the mayhem, took three wickets for 34 runs in four overs.

England were now on the brink of suffering a first defeat this season by an Australia side who had not won any competitive international match for 200 days.

In view of the run-spree to come, England, who won the toss, started well when dangerman David Warner lost control of his bat as he holed out off home captain Stuart Broad for one.

From then on, the innings belonged to Finch who struck an extraordinary six over cover on one knee off medium-pacer Ravi Bopara.

His 50 came off 27 balls, with a straight six off Bopara, and he appeared on course to beat South African Richard Levi’s record 45-ball century.

Finch had to be content with a 47-ball hundred, going to the landmark with a top-edged six, while McCullum’s previous record was surpassed with yet another six, this time over cover off Broad.

Dernbach finally bowled Finch and removed Shane Watson as Australia fell short of the highest T20 international team total of 260 for six set by Sri Lanka against Kenya in Johannesburg in 2007.

But Australia’s total was the highest by one Test nation against another in this format of the game.

Brief scores:

Australia: 248 for 6 in 20 overs (Aaron Finch 156, Shane Watson 37; Jade Dernbach 3 for 34) vs England

Full Scorecard

Photo Gallery