England county Leicestershire batter Louis Kimber entered the record books on Wednesday (June 26) with the fastest double hundred in England’s first-class history and second fastest of all time.
Kimber reached the double hundred off just 100 balls on day 4 of the Division 1 match against Sussex. Kimber’s effort is second only to Afghanistan batter Shafiqullah Shinwari’s 89-ball effort during the Afghan first-class match between Kabul and Boost region in 2017/18.
Kimber eventually got out after scoring 243 runs off 127 balls. He also hit 21 sixes in his innings – the most for a batter in an innings in the English county history. Kimber went past England skipper Ben Stokes’ record of 17 sixes in 2022 for Durham vs Worcestershire.
During the match, Kimber also hit England pacer Ollie Robinson for 43 runs in an over – another record in first-class cricket.
Robinson bowled nine deliveries in the over which included three no-balls. He was hit for five sixes and three fours to go with a single by Kimber.
The over started with Kimber hitting the first ball of Robinson’s over for a six. The next ball was a no-ball by Robinson which also was dispatched for a six. The next three deliveries went for 4,6,4 before Robinson bowled another no-ball which again went for a six.
The fifth legal ball of the over went for a four before another no-ball by Robinson which once again went for a six. The last ball of the over got Kimber only a single.
The batter who was batting at 72 off 56 balls before Robinson’s over, ended up scoring his century and was at 109 off 65 balls by the time Robinson got over from the nightmare. These are the most runs given by a bowler in England’s county cricket.
Leicestershire, however, failed to chase the 464-run target, albeit by just 18 runs.