Louis Kimber unleashed a ferocious assault on the Sussex bowling attack today, smashing his way to a magnificent double century and breaking several records in the process.  

The match started on June 23, with Leicestershire electing to field first. Sussex managed 442 in their first innings, thanks largely to opener Oli Carter (96) and captain John Simpson (183). Ian Holland took four wickets for Leicestershire. In reply, they could manage just 275, Peter Handscomb top-scoring with 92. Sussex chose to bat once again, scoring 296-6 in 69 overs to set Leicestershire 464 for victory.

In the fourth innings, a middle-order collapse saw them slip from 105-1 to 135-5 and 144-6 when Kimber walked out to the middle. Playing aggressively, he made his way to 26 off 31 balls before hitting his first six. Thereafter, he took off, accelerating to reach a half-century in just 37 balls.

In the 59th over of the innings, Kimber took it up another notch as he belted Ollie Robinson all over the park for a total of 43 runs, the most expensive over in first-class cricket history (excluding Bert Vance's 77 conceded). He reached the three-figure mark off just 62 deliveries. Kimber then took a liking to James Coles, hitting him for three sixes in the 66th over.

 

 

Kimber crossed the 200-run mark with his 17th six of the innings, hit off Robinson. The 100 balls he took to reach the score made it the second-fastest double hundred in first-class history, behind Shafiqullah Shinwari's 89-ball effort for Kabul Region vs Boost Region in 2018. The previous record for the fastest double century in County Championship history belonged to Aneurin Donald, who reached the mark in 123 balls for Glamorgan against Derbyshire in 2016.

His knock eventually came to an end in the 81st over of the innings, as he was the last wicket to fall. With just 19 more runs needed for victory, he attempted a hoick into the leg side off pacer Nathan McAndrew only to see his stumps rearranged and his innings ended at 243 off just 127 balls, laced with 20 fours and 21 sixes. 

Hyderabad's Tanmay Agarwal holds the record for most sixes in a first-class innings, with 26. Colin Munro ranks second and Shafiqullah Shinwari third with 23 and 22 respectively. Kimber is now fourth on that list, and first in the County Championship, smashing Ben Stokes' record of 17 for Durham vs Worcestershire in 2022. 

 

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