WILLIAM McClintock’s amazing century off 30 balls for Donemana against Killyclooney last night – 10 fours and 9 sixes – could well be the fastest ever scored in Ireland.

William McClintock receives a Man-of-the-Match award from NW President Connie McAllister

The indecision is because scorers rarely counted balls faced “back in the day”, and it is only since most cricket became limited overs that they have been regularly noted. This piece is in no way intended to be definitive, and admits to only skimming the surface.

Back in August 2013, Syed Mehdi of Balbriggan 2nds demolished Bagenalstown in a Leinster Division 7 league match. His first fifty came off only 15, his second took 20 balls, making a 35-ball century. He was out for 120 after facing just 40 balls.

On the same day, Max Sorensen almost matched Syed’s rate for The Hills. Max hit an unbeaten 99 off 36 balls, including 10 sixes and 4 fours in the semi-final of the 20-over Alan Murray Cup.

For Ireland there have been three well-known speed-fests, John Prior’s 51 ball, 51 minute century against Warwickshire in 1982, Peter Gillespie’s 47 ball whirlwind against MCC just before the 2005 ICC Trophy, and Kevin O'Brien's 50-ball century in the 2011 World Cup win over England in Bangalore.

The legendary Jeff Smith of Co Galway hit 117 in 50 minutes against Guinness in 1976, while Ian Botham took just 36 minutes and 38 balls to score 101* against Lisburn in 1986. Although it was an exhibition game, the hapless bowler was then-current Irish opener John Elder, who conceded 34 off his final over.

The amazing innings of Dickie Lloyd against County Kilkenny in 1912, saw the Trinity batsman score a double century before lunch – and he didn’t go in till the first wicket fell. It’s not certain how long he batted for, but it was certainly less than two hours.

But the greatest challenger for William comes from an LCU junior game of the late 1940s. A celebrated junior cricketer called John Joe Roe made a century in just 31 minutes. Again, the scorer didn’t record the number of balls faced, but as John Joe hit ten 6s and ten 4s, and doesn’t seem to have much of a blocker, it’s unlikely to have been many more than 20.

Does any reader know of any similar feats of speed-scoring? I'd love to hear about them.