England's Ollie Robinson was smashed for 43 runs in the most expensive over in the history of the English County Championship on Wednesday as batter Louis Kimber rewrote the record books.
Sussex paceman Robinson was struck for two sixes, six fours – three of which were off no-balls – and a single by Leicestershire's Kimber in the fourth and final day of their Division Two match.
LOUIS KIMBER HAS TAKEN 43 OFF AN OVER pic.twitter.com/kQ4cLUhKN9
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2024
Surrey's Alex Tudor conceded 38 runs in an over in 1998, of which Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff hit 34.
That mark was equalled earlier this week when England spinner Shoaib Bashir conceded 38 runs while bowling for Worcestershire against Surrey, with fellow international Dan Lawrence doing most of the damage.
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗 🥇
— Leicestershire Foxes 🦊 (@leicsccc) June 26, 2024
43 runs from one over. Louis Kimber. 👏 pic.twitter.com/yD8pzTa36R
Kimber, batting at No 8, plundered 243 runs off just 127 balls to take Leicestershire to the brink of an astonishing win but he was bowled by Nathan McAndrew with his side agonisingly short of their target as Sussex won by 18 runs.
The 27-year-old's double-hundred came off just 100 balls, making it the second-fastest in first-class cricket history.
He also hit 21 sixes, breaking England test captain Ben Stokes's Championship record of 17 set in a match in 2022.
🚀 Most 𝗦𝗜𝗫𝗘𝗦 in an innings
— Leicestershire Foxes 🦊 (@leicsccc) June 26, 2024
💯 𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 double ton
🤩 𝟰𝟯 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗦 off one over
🔝 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗧 score by number eight or lower
Louis Kimber set @CountyChamp records tumbling today. 📊 pic.twitter.com/eodt842uIj
Every Sussex player congratulated Kimber while his teammates and the backroom teams from both sides formed a guard of honour as he walked off to a standing ovation.
He had only hit one previous first-class century and averages less than 30 even after his memorable innings at Hove, on England's south coast, but he produced an uninhibited exhibition of power and timing.
"You don't get many days like that in your career, it was unbelievable really," said Kimber. "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."
He added: "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."
🗣️ "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁." - @lkimber17
— Leicestershire Foxes 🦊 (@leicsccc) June 26, 2024
Louis Kimber looks back on an 'unbelievable' day. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dtQfYoTldk