Stubbs joins triple century club

Warriors batter Tristan Stubbs smashed his way to a brilliant triple century against the Tuskers (KwaZulu-Natal Inland) in Pietermaritzburg yesterday afternoon, to write himself into the South African cricket record books.

This final CSA Four-Day Series pool match for both sides has mostly been all about Stubbs, one of the recent stars of the SA20.

He finished the shortened second day’s play yesterday unbeaten on 302 off 372 balls, having struck 37 fours and six sixes in his sparkling innings.

The players were called off the field for bad light a few times during the day, before they took an early tea with the Warriors on 517/3, but stumps were called soon after.

It is unlikely that Stubbs will be able to continue his knock in search of the all-time South African franchise record of 390 scored by former Lions stalwart Stephen Cook against the Warriors in 2009.

Stubbs has joined some elite company as just the sixth South African to score a triple century in franchise (A-division) or Test cricket in SA.

Darryl Cullinan (337 for the then Transvaal against Northern Transvaal in 1993, Rilee Roussouw (319 for the Eagles against the Titans in 2010), and Tony de Zorzi (304 not out) for Western Province against the Knights in 2022 are the only other SA franchise (A-division) triple centurions in SA.

Hashim Amla is the only South African Test triple centurion, with his unbeaten 311 against England at the Oval in 2012.

One other big score for a South African outside of the country includes Barry Richards, who scored 356 for South Australia against Western Australia in 1970.

Stubbs did set a franchise partnership record in SA with his 473-run third wicket stand with Matthew Breetzke (188), the highest for that wicket.

They fell just short of the overall record for any wicket, of 480, set by Rossouw and Dean Elgar (161) for the Eagles against the Titans in 2010.