Who is Louis Kimber, and why is the 27-year-old sharing the same space with England’s seasoned campaigners Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes? Forty-three runs in one over is the reason. Yes, Kimber took Robinson to the cleaners at the English County Championship on Wednesday. England fast bowler Robinson entered the history books for all the wrong reasons on the fourth and final day of their Division Two match.
Leicestershire’s Kimber handed Robinson the dubious record of the most expensive over in the history of the County Championship. Sussex star Robinson was hammered for two sixes and six fours in the unprecedented 43-run over. Robinson bowled three no-balls in the run-fest over against Kimber. Robinson’s bowling disaster might also be the most expensive over in the history of all first-class cricket.
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Thanks to his batting exploits against the England speedster, Kimber holds the record for scoring the most runs by a batter in one over of English first-class cricket. Robinson has surpassed Surrey’s Alex Tudor, who conceded 38 runs against Lancashire’s Andrew Flintoff in the 1998 season. Surrey’s Dan Lawrence matched the same feat against his England teammate Shoaib Bashir earlier this week.
Ball-by-ball: How Kimber destroyed Robinson
Ball 1: Robinson was pulled for a six over the backward square leg.
Ball 2: Robinson received a similar treatment near the backward square leg region on the next ball as Kimber smoked a four. The umpire called a no-ball.
Ball 3: Kimber cleared the third man for four more runs by cashing in on the bouncer.
Ball 4: Backward square leg fielder was a spectator as Kimber deposited a six.
Ball 5: He cleared the square leg area to earn another four.
Ball 6: Kimber brings up his century in style with a boundary off a no-ball.
Ball 7: Kimber beats mid-on to score a four.
Ball 8: Another no-ball, and Kimber drives it for four again!
Ball 9: Kimber pulled Robinson but only to get a single to end the record-breaking over.
Kimber shatters Stokes’ record
Kimber played an iconic knock of 243 off 127 balls in the 2nd innings as Leicestershire posted 445 in 80.4 overs. Pacer Robinson bagged two wickets and leaked 105 runs in 20 overs. Kimber notched up the fastest double century in County Championship history. His 18th six shattered Stokes’ record for the most maximums fired in a single County Championship innings. Despite creating a world record, Kimber’s memorable knock went in vain as Leicestershire lost the entertaining encounter to Sussex by 18 runs.