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.
Spend five minutes watching every boundary of this ludicrous Louis Kimber innings. pic.twitter.com/KTpfQtWQCd
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
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..
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
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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
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.
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.”
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