Surrey Set New World Record in First-Class Cricket History

English County club team Surrey recently broke a world record in first-class cricket history as they recorded the highest innings total without a century in first-class history.

Currently, Kent are hosting the table-topper Surrey in the County Championship Division One 2022 season. The visitors chose to bat first after winning the toss on day 1 of this match.

Surrey batted 173 overs to manage the first innings total of 671/9 before their declaration on the late second day. Though seven batters scored 50+ runs in that innings, there was no three-figure score in that innings.

Surrey had three nervous 90s

While the opener Ryan Patel scored 76 runs, they also had three nervous nineties (Ollie Pope 96, wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes 91 and Jamie Overton 93). Moreover, Sam Curran and Colin de Grandhomme scored 78 and 66 runs respectively. The no.10 batter Jordan Clark also remained not out on 54 runs.

Only the captain and the other opener Rory Burns (30), Hashim Amla (12), Will Jacks (20) and Daniel Worrall (44 not out) failed to manage 50+ scores in that innings.

With that 671/9 decl, Surrey set up the new world record of the highest innings total without a century in first-class cricket. Previously, Namibia were holding the record for the highest innings total without a century in first-class cricket with the score of 609 runs against Uganda in Windhoek in 2010/11. They had six 50+ scores in that innings, including three 80s, but there was no century.

In English County cricket history, Surrey was also holding the previous record for the highest total without a century in first-class innings history. In 2005, they scored 603 runs against Gloucestershire at Bristol, including seven 50+ scores.

Highest innings totals without a century in first-class history

Golden chance to equal the 129-year-old solitary record

Also, the seven 50+ scores were the joint second most 50+ scores in first-class cricket innings history. However, in English County cricket history, it is the joint record for most 50+ scores in an innings.

Surrey had a great chance to equal the solitary record of most 50+ scores in first-class cricket innings history that was recorded long back in 1893. When Australia toured England in 1893, they played one first-class match against Oxford and Cambridge Universities Past and Present at Portsmouth in July-August 1893.

Australians scored 843 runs in the first innings of that match after electing to bat first. A total of eight batters scored 50+ runs in that innings, including three centuries. In first-class cricket history, it is still the only instance with eight 50+ scores in an innings.

During Surrey’s latest record total, their last batter Daniel Worrall remained not out for 44 runs. If he managed to add six more runs in his name, the Brown Caps could become the only second team with eight 50+ scores in a first-class innings. 

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