Gary Ballance: Zimbabwe's ex-England batter is second man to hit Test centuries for two teams
- Published
Ballance played two one-day internationals and a T20 international against Ireland for Zimbabwe before the Test match against West Indies
First Test, Bulawayo, day four of five |
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West Indies 447-6 dec (Chanderpaul 207*, Brathwaite 182) & 21-0 |
Zimbabwe 379-9 dec: Ballance 137*, Kaia 67, Joseph 3-75 |
West Indies lead by 89 runs |
Former England batter Gary Ballance became the second person to hit a Test century for two countries after making 137 not out for Zimbabwe against West Indies.
Ballance, 33, has returned to his native country after being released by Yorkshire following his involvement in the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.
The left-hander reached his century with a six off spinner Gudakesh Motie.
Ballance joins Kepler Wessels who made tons for Australia and South Africa.
Wessels hit four for Australia between 1982 and 1985, before making two for South Africa after they were readmitted to Test cricket in 1991.
Ballance made four Test centuries for England between 2014 and 2017.
In November 2021, Ballance admitted using racist language towards his former Yorkshire team-mate Rafiq.
Ballance was charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2021 relating to racism allegations.
In August, Rafiq said he had accepted an apology from Ballance and called for his former Yorkshire team-mate to be "allowed to get on with his life".
The International Cricket Council's rules state that a player can switch allegiance between full member nations if there has been a three-year gap since they last played for the country from which they are switching.
The Test between Zimbabwe and West Indies is likely to end in a draw because of rain interruptions on the opening two days.