List of first-class cricket records

This list of first-class cricket records shows some record team and individual performances in first-class cricket. The list is necessarily selective, since it is in cricket's nature to generate copious records and statistics. Both instance records (such as highest team and individual scores, lowest team scores and record margins of victory) and season and career records (such as most runs or wickets in a season, and most runs or wickets in a career) are included.

Some matches are not universally accepted as first-class, and there are thus some discrepancies in figures given by different authorities. For instance, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack shows career figures for some cricketers different from those accepted by the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians (ACS). Also, different authorities assign different start dates for first-class cricket, ranging from the 17th century to 1864. Career figures shown here are those accepted by the ACS, and quoted online at Wisden Cricinfo and the CricketArchive. For further information, see variations in first-class cricket statistics.

The 2006 Annual General Meeting of the ACS adopted the principle that first-class cricket's "historical record" began in the 17th century, probably after 1660, and (due to the paucity of surviving scores prior to 1772) that its "statistical record" began in the 1772 season. The earliest known match of importance dates from 1697. The ACS is working with CricketArchive to identify all the known early matches, and to capture all the scores and other information that has survived. Accordingly, the ACS deems matches that CricketArchive designates "major" or "first-class" to be included in the historical study of first-class cricket. As research continues into the early matches, more scorecards may come to light.

Although aspects of the game have changed over its history, the rules of first-class cricket have remained essentially the same.

Notation

;Team notation
* 300-3 indicates that a team scored 300 runs for three wickets and the innings was closed, either due to a successful run chase or if no playing time remained.
* 300-3d indicates that a team scored 300 runs for three wickets, and declared its innings closed.
* 300 indicates that a team scored 300 runs and was all out.

;Batting Notation
* 100 indicates that a batsman scored 100 runs and was out.
* 100* indicates that a batsman scored 100 runs and was not out.
* 100* against a partnership means that the two batsmen added 100 runs to the team's total, and neither of them was out.

;Bowling Notation
* 5-100 indicates that a bowler captured 5 wickets while conceding 100 runs.

Team records

Team scoring records

Greatest margins of victory by an innings

Qualification: Innings and 550 runs.

Ties

There have been more than thirty ties in first class cricket since 1948. Before then, a tie was sometimes declared where the scores were level when scheduled play ended, but the side batting last still had wickets in hand. Matches where this happens are considered a draw today, and a tie is now recognised only where the scores are level "and" the side batting fourth is dismissed.

Highest totals

Qualification: 900.

Individual records

Individual records (batting)

Highest individual score - progression of record since 1820

Most runs in an over

Most triple-centuries

Qualification: 3. Includes all scores of 300 or more.

Ineffective batsmen

Many cricketers with short first class careers fail to ever score a run, and finish with a batting average of 0.00. Seymour Clark (a wicket-keeper for Somerset in the 1930 season) is believed to hold the record for most innings in a scoreless careerCite web|author=Steven Lynch|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/asksteven/content/story/252824.html|title=Unmasked: the slowest batsmen, and the worst|accessdate=2006-07-11|publisher=Wisden Cricinfo|date=2006-07-10] with nine innings in his five matches, including seven ducks. [" [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/10738.html Seymour Clark] ", cricinfo.com. Retrieved 11 July, 2006] The record for most matches in a career without ever scoring is believed to belong to John Howarth (a Nottinghamshire fast-medium bowler in the 1960s), whose thirteen matches included seven innings and four ducks. [" [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/14991.html John Howarth] ", cricinfo.com. Retrieved 11 July, 2006]

The longest sequence of consecutive scoreless innings is 12 by Mark Robinson for Northamptonshire in 1990, whose scores that season were 1*, 0*, 1, 0, 0*, 0*, 0*, 0*, 0*, 0, 0, 0, 0*, 0*, 0 and 1*. [Cite web|title=Scoreless Sequences of Individual Innings|url=http://www.cricinfo.com.pk/db/STATS/FC/BATTING/TRIVIA/SCORELESS_SEQUENCES.html|accessdate=2006-07-11]

Individual records (bowling)

Most wickets in a career

Qualification: 2,400.

Career wicket-keeping all-rounders

Qualification: 20,000 runs and 1,000 dismissals.

Individual records (fielding)

Most catches in a career

Qualification: 640 catches.

Highest partnerships

Qualification: 470.

References

*Matthew Engel (ed.), Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2006, John Wisden & Co., ISBN 0-947766-98-7
*Scyld Berry (ed.), Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2008, John Wisden & Co., ISBN 1905625111

External links

* [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Records/Firstclass/Overall/index.html Cricket Archive]
* [http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/index.html?class=4 Wisden Cricinfo first-class records]

Notes

Linked scorecards are from the Cricket Archive.