Kimber hits double century in vain
Louis Kimber plundered 43 from Ollie Robinson – who now holds the unfortunate record for the most expensive over in first-class cricket – in the course of a mind‑blowing 243 at Hove that took Leicestershire from the bottom of a barrel to within tickling distance of victory. The innings, pinged at No 8, from 127 balls with 20 fours and 21 sixes, while wearing a jumper in the searing sun, ended when he dragged a ball on to his stumps, with Sussex 18 runs short of victory.
The pace of his hitting was extraordinary: fastest 200 in Championship history (100 balls), most sixes in a County Championship innings (overhauling Ben Stokes’s 17), most runs (191) before lunch in a Championship match, the second fastest first-class 200.
Off stump finally gone, he was surrounded by Sussex players wanting to shake his hand, and he trudged off, helmet still on, to a standing ovation. Before yesterday morning, his first-class average was 24.26, and he had made one other hundred – also against Sussex.
“My phone has been buzzing and the records I have broken are pretty cool,” he said. “I can’t remember hitting the ball as cleanly as I did today before. I got into a kind of weird zone when I wasn’t thinking too much except trying to hit where I wanted to. It was an amazing feeling. There wasn’t too much running going on, I was just trying to hit the ball as far as I could.”
Elsewhere, Surrey and Lancashire beat Worcestershire and Kent respectively, Ben Slater’s unbeaten 168 for Nottinghamshire kept Somerset at bay on a dead Trent Bridge pitch, and Essex’s Dean Elgar (120) and Tom Westley (63) dropped anchor at Chelmsford, much to the disquiet of Durham. Middlesex finally winkled Derbyshire out at Lord’s, Glamorgan and Northamptonshire drew at Sophia Gardens. And at Edgbaston, Warwickshire just managed to hold on against Hampshire. Sam Hain was unbeaten on 111, Michael Burgess etched 79 and Olly Hannon-Dalby nought, not out, in 11 balls.
That’s all from me for this round. Thanks as always for your company, and a large glass to Louis Kimber, who played the innings of his life. Good night!
243 runs. 127 balls. 20 fours. 21 sixes.
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
Spend five minutes watching every boundary of this ludicrous Louis Kimber innings. pic.twitter.com/KTpfQtWQCd
Final scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 339 and 208-2 DRAW with Durham 587 and 184-8dec
Canterbury: Lancashire 549-9dec BEAT Kent 244 and 222 BY AN INNINGS AND 83 RUNS
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 360 and 452-2dec DRAW WITH Somerset 470
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 254 and 321-9 DRAW WITH Hampshire 298 and 453-6dec
New Road: Surrey 490 BEAT Worcestershire 212 and 273 BY AN INNINGS AND FIVE RUNS
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 490 and 207-8 DRAW WITH Northamptonshire 279 and 472-8
Lord’s: Middlesex 433 and 302 BEAT Derbyshire 339 and 202 BY 194 runs
Hove: Sussex 442 and 296-6dec BEAT Leicestershire 275 and 445 BY 18 RUNS
Scarborough: Yorkshire 456 BEAT Gloucestershire 197 and 237 BY AN INNINGS AND 22 RUNS
Time for me to write up now, but will be keeping an eye on things at Sophia Gardens and Edgbaston.
Middlesex beat Derbyshire by 194 runs!
An excellent effort by Derbyshire, but a big hand for Middlesex’s bowlers who stuck to their task in a furnace. Three for Brookes and Bamber.
Lord’s: Middlesex 433 and 302 BEAT Derbyshire 339 and 202 BY 194 RUNS
Middlesex 23 points, Derbyshire 5
Updated
So three games still in play – at Lord’s, where Middlesex are nearly there, Derby nine down, Thomson fell to Brookes for a stoical 41.
At Edgbaston, where Sam Hain and Michael Burgess have practically locked the doors, an unbeaten partership of 155
And at Sophia Gardens where fortunes have switched, Carlson and Northeast falling in quick succession, Marnus still there, six wickets needed by Northants, just 107 runs for Glamorgan..
England Women thrash New Zealand by nine wickets!
Heather Knight wins the match driving sweetly down the ground. Reaction and more here with Jim:
Essex DRAW with Durham
Plug pulled with grateful thanks at Chelmsford. Elgar 120 (232 balls), Westley 63 (229). Apparently Durham showed some disdain at Essex’s lack of ambition.
Chelmsford: Essex 339 and 208-2 DRAW with Durham 587 and 184-8dec
Essex 12 points, Durham 16
50 for Marnus Labuschagne!
A delicate late dab for four, and Glamorgan are half way there.
Nottinghamshire DRAW with Somerset!
Handshakes on a lifeless pitch at Trent Bridge, Slater 168 not out.
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 360 and 452-2dec DRAW WITH Somerset 470
Nottinghamshire 13 points,Somerset 15 points
Carlson rocking along – 25 off 15, Glamorgan already in three figures.
Chappell has been out at Lord’s, for 50 in relatively quick time. Thomson still there as Middlesex plug away. Two more wickets needed.
At Sophia Gardens, Carlson flames six into the empty grandstand, where the ball is stuck down a storage hole.
"I got into some kind of weird zone"
Louis Kimber (with thanks to Bruce Talbot from the reporter’s network) “You don’t get many days like that in your career, it was unbelievable really. It’s just a shame we couldn’t get over the line but personally you have to enjoy days like that. It was good fun.
“I just tried to be positive and see what happened. I got a bit of luck here and there but you need that. Most of the lads have told me to remember it because days like this don’t come around too often.
“My phone has been buzzing and the records I have broken are pretty cool. All the Sussex players congratulated me and told me I didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. They were very gracious and over four days probably deserved to win.
“I can’t remember hitting the ball as cleanly as I did today before. I got into a kind of weird zone when I wasn’t thinking too much except trying to hit the ball where I wanted to. It was an amazing feeling. There wasn’t too much running going on, I was just trying to hit the ball as far as I could.
“We lost two wickets after lunch but Josh Hull is pretty under-rated as a batter at No11. I was trying to hit the ball I was out to for a single and then try and win it with the smaller boundary on the leg side. It didn’t quite come off.
“There is a sense of frustration personally because I have felt good all season and been in pretty decent touch without posting a decent score so this was probably due. You still have to apply yourself and take the positive option and I did that today. I guess expectations will increase when you do something as noticeable as this but we’ll see what happens.
“I have batted at No3 for most of this season and really enjoyed the challenge but for this game I went down to seven to help the balance of the team and then came in at eight because we’d had a nightwatchman. I want to bat as high as I can but whatever I’m needed to do I will do to try and win us games of cricket.”
Labuschagne and Carlson a pretty tasty duo to have chasing a target down – 186 needed at just under five an a half.
And at Lord’s, Thomson and Chappell continue to prod carefully away. Derbys 185-7.
Sophia Gardens is it, where Billy Root has just been run-out for 31. Very much on though.
Officially flicking over from Chelmsford. Nothing doing.
Time for a quick cup of tea, back shortly.
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 339 and 167-2 v Durham 587 and 184-8dec Essex need 266 to win
Canterbury: Lancashire 549-9dec BEAT Kent 244 and 222 BY AN INNINGS AND 83 RUNS
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 360 and 396-2 v Somerset 470
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 254 and 208-6 v Hampshire 298 and 453-6dec Warwicks need 290 to win
New Road: Surrey 490 BEAT Worcestershire 212 and 273 BY AN INNINGS AND FIVE RUNS
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 490 and 30-1 v Northamptonshire 279 and 472-8 Glamorgan need 232 more to win
Lord’s: Middlesex 433 and 302 v Derbyshire 339 and 156-7 Derbys need 241 to win
Hove: Sussex 442 and 296-6dec BEAT Leicestershire 275 and 445 BY 18 RUNS
Scarborough: Yorkshire 456 BEAT Gloucestershire 197 and 237 BY AN INNINGS AND 22 RUNS
A correction from Romeo (thank you!) “Kimber’ average is NOW 29.52. It reached (I think) 31 during his innings. It was 24.46 (or .45) before the match.”
Updated
Just listening to Keaton Jennings’s post-match interview. Tom Bruce has been given a couple of weeks off after his rotten start to the season. “He’s an amazing bloke, not through any lack of effort, he’d going to play some twos games, regain his form and fight for his place.”
As well as Jimmy’s swansong/first match of the season Southport will also mark Nathan Lyon’s last match for Lancs.
Somerset have managed to winkle Stone out, but his replacement Young seems equally adhesive . Slater bats on, and on, now 152 not out. Notts lead by 270.
Hain (50) and Burgess (41) are still holding Hampshire up at Edgbaston –Warwicks 201-6. They, I feel duty bound to type after today’s events , need 297 to win.
Kimber’s first-class average is 24.46! He has one previous hundred. I wonder if he’ll now get franchise salespeople knocking at his door.
100 for Dean Elgar!
And that is why Essex reached in their purse over the winter. Essex 161-2, 272 needed in 42 overs.
Northants declare!
Elsewhere in Division Two: Thomson (22) and Chappell (8) are digging in at Lord’s, but Middlesex need only three more wickets. Thirsty work though.
And Northants, the bold devils, have they not been watching events at Hove?, have declared at the Gardens, with McManus 168 not out. Glamorgan need 262 to win.
Updated
That was magic. And huge thanks to the Richard Rae and Adrian Harms for the very likeable commentary. Now to Chelmsford, where Essex are still two down and Tom Westley has knocked 33 in 19 balls more than it took Kimber to make 243.
WICKET! Kimber b McAndrew 243 Leics 445 all out Sussex win by 18 runs
A heave too many! Loses his off stump and is immediately surrounded by players wanting to shake his hand. He keeps his helmet on, and trudges off to a standing ovation as if he’s just tidied up the front garden and fancies a cup of tea.
Hove: Sussex 442 and 296-6dec BEAT Leicestershire 275 and 445 BY 18 RUNS
Updated
Robinson starts with a slow wide, the second is lofted with bent knee for six by Kimber. The third is a dot, two from the next, then a single which means Hull has to survive one ball from Robinson. He duly does, and 19 are needed.
As the commentators remind us, there was more craziness in this fixture last year.
WICKET! Mike c Robinson b McAndrew 3 b M Leics 435-9 need 29 to win
A dolly to mid-off. Enter 19 year old Josh Hull. Kimber 234 not out.
Will Jimmy play at Southport?
Keaton Jennings thinks so: “Touch wood I think Jimbo will be available, which is awesome. He brings in a wealth of knowledge and a keen eagerness to come and play and compete. It’ll be brilliant if he’s one hundred percent ready to go, I don’t want to rush the goalie but it’d be brilliant to have him.”
Brian, apparently Louis Kimber always wears a jumper. Even on a day when as, he takes off his helmet, the sweat pores out like an open tap. 30 needed…
Oh my – Ben Mike pokes at Robinson and is dropped at second slip – I think it popped in and popped out shortly afterwards.
Kimber has lost Cox, lbw to Robinson – whose figures aren’t bad considering – for 34. The end of a partnership of 239 in just a sneeze and a tickle. And there goes six more (No. 21) over extra cover – the target now 40…
Kimber breaks the record for fastest 200 in the Championship!
AND Ben Stokes’ record for the most sixes scored in a County Championship innings (18 and counting) AND the most runs (191) before lunch in a Championship match. AND now the second fastest first-class 200 ever, behind only Shafiqullah for Kabul Region v Boost Region.
That 43-run over in full
LOUIS KIMBER HAS TAKEN 43 OFF AN OVER pic.twitter.com/kQ4cLUhKN9
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
A double century for Kimber!
As he clatters Robinson for six more – 100 balls, 19 fours, 17 sixes. And there’s another four as the target drops to 61. Robinson, who apparently shook hands with Kimber as they walked off for lunch, has a quiet scratch.
To the Midlands, where Slater (126) and Stone (56) are batting Somerset out of the match, though a last session declaration might be tempting. The lead now 190. The pitch flat, the sun hot. Notts 300-1.
And at Edgbaston, where Hampshire are tickling away at Warwickshire, now six down. Hain still there on a patient 17. Two each for Abbott and Barker – who now has eight in the match.
Thanks to Richard Spiller for this fabulous nugget – with Sussex again suffering by the hands of a special innings at Hove. Now Louis Kimber, then Ted Allestson. Kimber currently 192 not out, with the 80 needed.
Lancashire BEAT Kent by an innings and 83 runs!
While eyes were on Hove, Lancashire did the business. Three wickets for Bailey and Williams as Kent are bundled out. Charlie Stobo the last man out and highest scorer with 64.
Canterbury: Lancashire 549-9dec BEAT Kent 244 and 222 BY AN INNINGS AND 83 RUNS
Lancashire 23 points; Kent 1 point
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 339 and 83-2 v Durham 587 and 184-8dec
Canterbury: Lancashire 549-9dec BEAT Kent 244 and 222 BY AN INNINGS AND 83 RUNS
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 360 and 293-1 v Somerset 470
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 254 and 116-5 v Hampshire 298 and 453-6dec
New Road: Surrey 490 BEAT Worcestershire 212 and 273 BY AN INNINGS AND FIVE RUNS
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 490 v Northamptonshire 279 and 358-4
Lord’s: Middlesex 433 and 302 v Derbyshire 339 and 71-5
Hove: Sussex 442 and 296-6dec v Leicestershire 275 and 375-7
Scarborough: Yorkshire 456 BEAT Gloucestershire 197 and 237 BY AN INNINGS AND 22 RUNS
Updated
I’d love to have seen Kimber walk off for lunch but instead we get a big blue rectangle covering the screen saying Sussex by the Sea! Whatever happens, the innings of a lifetime: 191 not out, 92 balls, 18 fours, 16 sixes and he has taken the Leics target from laughable to possible, now just 89. Sussex have that look of headless chicken confusion that can spread in such times.
Updated
From Hove, quickly east. Essex have endured the early Potts onslaught for the loss of two wickets. Elgar and Westley now making themselves comfortable. Essex 82-2.
Updated
With his 16th six, Kimber reduces the Leicestershire target to below 100!
Surrey beat Worcestershire by an innings and five runs!
Buttons polished and papers folded, a few minutes before lunch. Jordan Clark 5-65, Hose the last man out for 64. Table-toppers, table-topping.
New Road: Surrey 490 BEAT Worcestershire 212 and 273 BY AN INNINGS AND FIVE RUNS
Kimber, says the commentator, “is a lovely chap who doesn’t get pumped up.” Cricinfo can only tell me “Louis Kimber signed his first contract with Leicestershire in May 2021, after completing his stint as captain of Loughborough University, where he was studying for a Masters in Marketing.”
150 for Kimber!
Another lost ball…. Kimber, with a touch of the James Vince’s about him, smashes Coles for another six – I can’t see it but apparently palmed over the boundary by Jack Carlson. He moves onto 154 in 81 balls. This is a Stokes-esque innings of joyful, lucky hitting.
Kimber crashes on – now 140 from 78, balls lost here, there and everywhere. Leicester, ahem, need 145 to win …
Derby are crumbling, now four down. Another beauty from Bamber, knocks back Madsen’s off stump.
Worcs unable to resist the Surrey juggernaut, nine down and nearly out.
A third wicket at Lord’s, as Brookes gets a leaping Guest, rapping hard onto his back pad. Derbys 60-3, and in trouble, as Lamb jogs through the pavilion gate.
Updated
43 from an over and 100 for Louis Kimber!
There must be something in the water! Shoaib Bashir’s record is wiped out as Louis Kimber tucks into Ollie Robinson (that one). Two sixes, six fours three of them from no-balls. Oh and a single.
LOUIS KIMBER HAS TAKEN 43 OFF AN OVER pic.twitter.com/kQ4cLUhKN9
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
Updated
Round the grounds with an hour or so gone. First to the party division.
To Hove, where Leicestershire have lost two morning wickets, Mulder and Scott Currie. Three wickets for James Coles. Kimber bubbling on a swashbuckling 56 not out, but he’ll need to perform a small miracle with Leics needing another 249 to win with only three wickets left.
Procter and McManus doing excellent work for Northants, both have collected half centuries, – at 293-4, the lead over Glamorgan has now inched to 82.
And Lloyd and Guest are, with leading edges and gritted teeth, surviving Middlesex’s opening salvo. Derby 34-1 need another 363 to win.
Updated
Time for some Dan Lawrence, and he strikes immediately! Worcestershire 225-7. Up there with Higgins, Ro-Jo and Crane for performance of the round?
Ali ponders England’s chances:
Good morning Tim Maitland! “Spent more time than I’d care to admit trying to decide who to watch now that Yorkshire have been so inconsiderate as to win inside three days. I’ve plumped for Essex v Durham on the basis that it’s the most significant in terms of the championship itself and that I should at least get a spirited rearguard action from second-placed Essex.
”Judging from the second over of the day Dean Elgar is not going to last long facing Callum Parkinson and a Kalahari Desert of rough outside the left-handers off stump. And the nightwatchman Jamie Porter has gone for 3. A beautiful ball from Matthew Potts nipped in a fraction to literally take the top of off: it would have done for better batsmen.Essex 43 for 2.
”It’s something to do while I get the char siu and poached eggs on rice ready.” Sounds delicious. While you’re at it, I think buginabreeze was up for a lunch order…
And Ryan Higgin’s fantasic few days continues – as he swings one like a small banana and has Luis Reece superbly caught by a diving gully. Derbys 15-1.
Tried to tune into Chelmsford, but my television decided I wanted to watch Toby Roland Jones roll back the years – a lovely ripple of Lord’s applause as he beats the bat. Derbys 7-0, need 390 to win. One of a few games that could really bubble up this afternoon.
In case this is of help to those running cricketing activities, this is the ECB’s guidance for extreme heat in recreational cricket. Probably not quite “extreme heat” today (though quite hot enough for me!) – but still useful I think.
Updated
Key event
With apologies to Glamorgan and Northants, who somehow slipped through my round up yesterday:Northants lead by just 25, despite a determined 99 by Ricardo Vasconcelos, but their fightback was dampened when Mason Crane took two late wickets. Crane, having the best batting summer of his career, had earlier made 56 as the last two Glamorgan wickets added 116.
Updated
Monday's round up
A win for Yorkshire at last after whipping the tablecloth from under Gloucestershire, taking 13 wickets in a day at Scarborough. Zaman Akhter made a career-best 70 for Gloucestershire while Conor McKerr, on loan from Surrey, was on a hat-trick in each innings as he pocketed five wickets, and Adam Lyth took the catch of the match with a swallow-dive at second slip to complete a happy three days at his home ground.
Surrey enforced the follow-on at New Road, but then encountered plucky resistance from Worcestershire’s Gareth Roderick and Kashif Ali, who were untroubled for 34 overs until Jordan Clark had Roderick caught at slip as three wickets fell in the space of 10 balls. Before play Jeetan Patel, England’s spin bowling coach, supervised Surrey’s Dan Lawrence and Shoaib Bashir out in the middle.
James Vince and Liam Dawson rocked gently to their first Championship centuries of the summer as Hampshire piled up the runs at Edgbaston. Vince was unbeaten on 166 when he declared, setting Warwickshire 498 to win on a flat pitch in the hot sun.
Paul Walter danced to a frisky second Championship hundred at Chelmsford but Durham whipped through the rest, Matthew Potts bowling rapidly for four for 71. Durham didn’t enforce the follow on, and Essex were set 433 on the last day.
Lancashire had Kent on the ropes at Canterbury, after Josh Bohannon sparked the engine on his previous static car with 205, and Lancashire ran through Kent’s second innings. Three late wickets by Jack Carlson put Sussex in an excellent position against Leicestershire, the Hove pitch starting to turn and the visitors needing another 325 runs with only five wickets remaining.
Haseeb Hameed lost his stumps on 91 as Nottinghamshire fought back against Somerset. Migael Pretorius had earlier helped Somerset to a first-innings lead with an unbeaten 95, as Dillon Pennington took his first five-fer for Notts. Toby Roland-Jones grabbed five wickets as Derbyshire imploded in the first hour at Lord’s. They will need 396 to beat Middlesex.
Key event
RIP Frank Duckworth.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 339 and 28-1 v Durham 587 and 184-8dec
Canterbury: Kent 244 and 143-6 v Lancashire 549-9dec
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 360 and 177-1 v Somerset 470
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 254 and 40-1 v Hampshire 298 and 453-6
New Road: Worcestershire 212 and 207-5 v Surrey 490
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 490 v Northamptonshire 279 and 236-4
Lord’s: Middlesex 433 and 302 v Derbyshire 339
Hove: Sussex 442 and 296-6dec v Leicestershire 275 and 139-5
Scarborough: Yorkshire 456 BEAT Gloucestershire 197 and 237 BY AN INNINGS AND 22 RUNS
Preamble
Good morning! It’s another scorcher, with the temperatures climbing to 30 degrees in the south. The ground is empty at Scarborough, and the clock is ticking at Canterbury and New Road, but plenty to keep us occupied while lolling with a lime and soda and a paperback under an old oak tree.
