Chris Gayle -- you monster! -- scores fastest century in pro cricket

Calling legendary sports writer Shirley Povich. Record-smasher Chris Gayle and the sport of cricket need you.

When Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the 1956 World Series, legendary Washington Post sports writer Povich wrote this memorable opening paragraph: “The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar. Don Larsen today pitched a no-hit, no-run, no-man-reach-first game in a World Series.”

On Tuesday in Bangalore, India, West Indies batsman Chris Gayle scored the fastest century in professional cricket in an Indian Premier League matchup between Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Pune Warriors.

The Bangalore opener cut a path through the Warriors’ bowling on his way to ending unbeaten with 175 off 66 balls. Gayle set the new record with a ton off 30 balls. Records tumbled.

According to the Guardian, the 30-ball ton beats the previous 34-ball Twenty20 record set in 2004 by Australia’s Andrew Symonds for Kent against Middlesex.

Gayle also scored a ton of accolades on social media. Twitter was ablaze with adulation that would have made Povich proud. Piers Morgan and Usain Bolt were among those sending their congratulations.

Gayle told news media after his astounding performance that he was “lost for words. It was just one of those days.”

He noted that all he’d had for breakfast was “a plain omelette, two pancakes and a hot chocolate.” Apparently that’s the real breakfast of champions.