A young batsman has turned a rain affected Plunket shield match which is headed to a draw into his own personal, triumphant record breaking innings of 203 on debut at Bay Oval.

Brad Schmulian, a former Auckland club cricketer of the year who moved to Hawke's Bay to progress his career, rewrote the record books yesterday with his innings of 203 off 207 balls, including 31 fours and three sixes, before being caught and bowled by Anton Devcich.

He became the first cricketer in New Zealand to score a double century on first class debut.

Brad's 203 for the Central Stags against Northern Districts broke a New Zealand record that has stood since the late 19^th century – the 1880/1881 season to be precise – for the highest first class score by a debutant in New Zealand.

The previous record was 175 by a G.Watson.

And Brad Schmulian's only the 20th New Zealand cricketer to hit a century in his first first-class innings, and he is the first Central Stag to do so since Don Macleod in 1956/57, the only other player to have achieved the feat for Stags the team.

Schmulian's extraordinary 280 minute knock also saw him take the lead in a vital 224-run partnership with Doug Bracewell, who finished 63 not out when the Stags declared last night.

Their stand was just 11 runs shy of the Central Stags' all-time record for the sixth wicket, held by Bevan Griggs and Mathew Sinclair at the Basin Reserve in the 2008/09 season.

Schmulian was eventually dismissed by Devcich.

The innings which had the statisticians delving into the record books came after the Central Stags had earlier been on the ropes at 85/5.

After losing the first day to rain, the match looks headed to a draw, but it will be remembered for a long time by a young man who made an astute and fortuitous decision to progress his cricket career.

Northern scored 439/5 declared in its first innings at Bay Oval. Central replied with 313/7 declared.A

nd at stumps last night Northern were 178/1.

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