Watch: Louis Kimber played an astonishing knock in the second division of the County Championship today (June 26), reaching a century in 62 balls and hitting Ollie Robinson for the most expensive first class over in history.
Kimber was on 72 when Robinson came on to bowl his 13th over of the innings. While Kimber had dished out brutal treatment to the rest of the bowling attack, the England Test pacer had managed to keep him somewhat contained.
That all changed when Kimber belted him for six over the square leg boundary off the first ball of the over, however. He followed up with another boundary through the same area, not quite getting enough power on the ball to carry it over the boundary this time, but still picking up four. To make matters worse for Robinson, the umpire signalled a no ball, which added two extra runs to the total under ECB regulations.
Robinson sent down a ball that followed Kimber as he stepped away next up, but despite hitting it off the top part of his bat, he was still able to find the fence through the deep third man region for another four. He punished Robinson again off his third legal delivery, pulling another six over backward square. Another four came next with Robinson bowling yet another short ball into the body, this one coming through midwicket.
Watch: Rocky Flintoff hits match-winning hundred in maiden England U19s innings
Kimber was now on 98, having raced through the eighties and nineties, and whacked another four off a short ball from Robinson to reach a remarkable century. To make matters worse for Robinson, the umpire signalled another no ball and another two to the over total. Two consecutive fours followed, the second off the third no ball of the over, taking the total passed 40 and breaking the record equalled earlier this week by Dan Lawrence for the most runs conceded off a single over in first class history.
Lawrence hit 38 off Shoaib Bashir, including a no ball, in Surrey’s game against Worcestershire, equalling Andrew Flintoff’s record off Alex Tudor in 1998. Both overs included no balls, with the most expensive overs without no balls in first-class cricket belonging to Gary Sobers tied with Ravi Shastri.
Kimber took a single off the final ball to take the total for the over up to 43. Kimber’s brutal treatment of the Sussex bowlers didn’t stop with Robinson. He continued to score runs for fun and finished the morning session on 191* off 92 balls, having come into bat during the same session when Leicestershire were 144-6. By Lunch, they were 375-7 needing 89 more runs to win.
Watch: Louis Kimber hits Ollie Robinson for most expensive first-class over in history
LOUIS KIMBER HAS TAKEN 43 OFF AN OVER pic.twitter.com/kQ4cLUhKN9
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
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