Every quadruple century in first-class cricket, full list: Can Tom Banton make history?

On the first day at Taunton, Kasey Aldridge claimed 5-36 and Craig Overton 3-24 as Somerset bowled out Worcestershire for 154 after Lewis Gregory won the toss and opted to field. This, despite a 70-run opening stand between Gareth Roderick (58) and Jake Libby (30). Of the other eight batters, Matthew Waite (32 not out) was the only one to go past even six runs.

The tourists then hit back, reducing the hosts to 39-3 when Banton joined Tom Abell (52). The pair added 101 before James Rew walked out and helped Banton push Somerset into the lead. At stumps, they were 187-4 with Banton on 84 and Rew on 17.

Rew did not fall until 511. The partnership of 371 was a new record for Somerset, eclipsing the 321 put on by John Francis and Ian Blackwell against the Durham UCCE in 2005. Somerset finished the day on 637-6 and Banton on 344.

Read: ‘Everything changed last year’ – How Tom Banton fell back in love with cricket

Banton’s score is now a new record for Somerset (previous record, Justin Langer’s 342 against Surrey in 2006), against Worcestershire (Jack Robertson’s 331 not out for Middlesex in 1949).

At stumps, Banton was 56 short of becoming the ninth cricketer with a first-class quadruple hundred, of whom two have done it twice. Brian Lara is the only one to have hit a quintuple hundred as well as the only one with a Test match quadruple.

Also read: Is Lara's 501* record under threat? English batter starts third day with a shot at history

Quadruple-hundreds in first-class cricket

- Ponsford is the only one to have improved on his own record
- Two of the 11 innings have been at Taunton, where Banton is playing, and Melbourne
- Nimbalkar and Northeast have not played Test cricket (neither has Banton)