Cricket: The finest ODI centuries

New Zealand's Martin Crowe achieved 100 off 134 balls at Eden Park on February 22, 1992. Photo / NZ Herald

1 Virendar Sehwag (India) 125 not out off 74 balls, Hamilton, March 11, 2009

Two elements put this at the top - the fact that it's the most recent ODI hundred in New Zealand being neither.

Sehwag's innings was a masterpiece of destruction, his 100 coming off just 60 balls, making it the fastest by an Indian, fastest in New Zealand and seventh quickest of all time.

He opened the innings, India chasing a potentially awkward 281 at a rate of 6.04 an over.

But openers, while having first dibs against the hard new ball, are also at risk of nicking out early. Fat chance of that on Wednesday night.

From the off, the chunky little man from Delhi was in charge. New Zealand's bowling was ordinary, and powerless to shut him down.

Sehwag arrived at Seddon Park in strong form and, having shown a liking for New Zealand's small grounds, he simply flayed the attack.

The second reason he's No 1 is his strike rate.

He got his runs at a phenomenal 168.91 per 100 balls, miles clear of the next best, who was Chris Cairns, when he made 115 at 143.75 against India in Christchurch in 1999.

2 Sachin Tendulkar (India) 163 retired hurt off 133 balls, Christchurch, March 8, 2009

India banged on 392 for four in 50 overs that day, the highest total on New Zealand soil.

It was Tendulkar's 43rd ODI ton, made more meritorious as he had tweaked a stomach muscle around the 60s. Every time he swung out it hurt, he said later. Which begs the old line about how many he might have got had he been fully fit.

The first ODI double century was within reach. Once again, New Zealand's bowlers were clueless against a brilliant batsman taking advantage of ropey bowling and ludicrously short boundaries.

This was the innings New Zealand fans had been hoping to see from one of the game's all time greats on - almost certainly - his final trip here.

They might see another before the Indians fly home on April 8.

3 Matthew Hayden (Australia) 181 not out off 166 balls, Hamilton, February 20, 2007

The highest ODI individual score made in New Zealand and seventh highest anywhere, Matt the Bat demolished New Zealand in leading Australia to 346 for five.

The bowling attack - Tuffey, Gillespie, Franklin, Patel, McMillan, Styris - wasn't New Zealand's finest but even so, 10 sixes told a story.

Hayden won the man of the match award, and should have been celebrating a consolation victory that night after losing the first two games.

But he looked sick as a parrot as he got his award, for this was no ordinary game ...

4 Craig McMillan (New Zealand) 117 off 96 balls, Hamilton, February 20, 2007

... Because this was the night of the Mac Attack.

The belligerent Cantabrian played his finest innings to push New Zealand to 350 for nine, the highest score made in New Zealand at that time to complete a 3-0 sweep of the Aussies.

The crowd went ballistic as McMillan, who had come in at an unpromising 41 for four, climbed into an attack comprising Bracken - now among the world's best ODI bowlers - Johnson, Tait, Hogg, Watson and Voges. Five times he cleared the fence, to go with 13 fours.

McMillan got help from Peter Fulton firstly and after departing to a standing ovation, Brendon McCullum finished the job off with 86 not out. There were three balls and one wicket to spare.

A heady, exhilarating night.

5 Martin Crowe (New Zealand) 100 off 134 balls, Eden Park, February 22, 1992

In here for the occasion as well as the quality of the innings.

It was the opening day of the World Cup, New Zealand playing co-hosts Australia. A full house, with a tournament using a full round robin format.

New Zealand were 53 for three and in danger of sinking before captain Crowe and Ken Rutherford pulled things round with a 118-run stand.

Crowe reached his century in the final over, an outstanding, skilled innings which brought the ground alight. New Zealand reached on 248 for six and won by 37 runs.

New Zealand, under Crowe's innovative leadership, made the semifinals. For that month Crowe was perhaps the finest batsman on the planet.

This wasn't the fastest ODI hundred scored in New Zealand, or by a New Zealander. But it's importance is measured by more means than that.

THE 10 FASTEST ODI TONS
* 37 balls: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) v Sri Lanka, Nairobi, Oct 1996, finished on 102, 11 sixes/6 fours
* 44 balls: Mark Boucher (South Africa) v Zimbabwe, Potchefstroom, Sept 2006, 147no 10/8
* 45 balls: Brian Lara (West Indies) v Bangladesh, Dhaka, Oct 1999, 117, 4/18
* 45 balls: Afridi v India, Kanpur, April 2005, 102, 9/10
* 48 balls: Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) v Pakistan, Singapore, April 1996, 134, 11/11
* 55 balls: Jayasuriya v Bangladesh, Karachi, June 2008, 130, 6/16
* 60 balls: Virendar Sehwag (India) v New Zealand, Hamilton, March 2009, 125 not out, 6/14
* 62 balls: Mohammad Azharuddin (India) v New Zealand, Baroda, Dec 1988, 108no, 3/10
* 64 balls: Jayasuriya v Netherlands, Amstelveen, July 2006, 157, 1/23
* 64 balls: Yuvraj Singh v England, Rajkot, Nov 2008, 138no, 6/16
* (13th=) 67 balls: Craig McMillan v Australia, Hamilton, Feb 2007, 117, 5/13