Sam Northeast enjoyed his first game as Glamorgan’s red-ball captain by posting the highest-ever score by a batter in first-class cricket at Lord’s with his efforts eclipsing the 333 made by England’s Graham Gooch against India in 1990. (writes Andrew Hignell)
Sam’s unbeaten 335 made in eight and three-quarter hours of masterly dominance against Middlesex saw him face 412 balls and strike 36 fours and 6 sixes as he set a host of other major batting records as he became:
• The first Glamorgan batter to score two triple-hundreds, following his 410* at Leicester in 2022.
• The batter to score the earliest triple hundred in the history of the County Championship beating James Hildreth’s 303* for Somerset against Warwickshire on 18 April 2009
• The batter to post the highest score in domestic first-class cricket during April surpassing Justin Langer’s 315 for Somerset against Middlesex at Taunton on 20 April 2007.
• The batter to hit the highest score ever made in the opening round of Championship games for Glamorgan beating Hugh Morris’ record of 233* against Warwickshire in 1997.
• The player to record the earliest ever hundred – on 5 April - for Glamorgan in the County Championship, beating the century made by Kiran Carlson on 7 April 2023 against Gloucestershire at Sophia Gardens.
• The highest individual score for Glamorgan in first-class cricket against Middlesex, surpassing Dan Cherry’s 226 at Southgate in 2005.
• The highest score by a Glamorgan captain, beating David Lloyd’s 313* against Derbyshire at Cardiff in 2022.
His efforts on a wonderful opening day saw the Welsh county to 370-3 and arguably their best-ever first day of the season. Shortly before the close he also went past Gilbert Parkhouse’s 182 at Lord’s in 1954 which had been the previous highest individual score for Glamorgan at the historic ground in St. John’s Wood. The list below shows the other centurions for the Welsh county at Lord’s:
Gilbert Parkhouse – 182 in 1954
Peter Walker - 152* in 1962
Hugh Morris – 146 in 1992
Gilbert Parkhouse – 133 in 1959
Mark Wallace – 128 in 2009
Michael Powell – 122 in 2002
Dick Duckfield – 121 in 1933
Mark Cosgrove - 120 in 2009
Jamie Dalrymple - 112* in 2009
Tony Lewis – 104 in 1971
Tony Lewis – 102 in 1966
Ben Wright – 101 in 2011
Hugh Morris – 100 in 1990
The records continued to tumble on the second day at Lord’s as on 224* Sam broke Tony Lewis’ record of 223 against Kent at Gravesend in 1966 for the highest-ever score by a number three batter for the Welsh county. Glamorgan reached 507-3 at lunch with Sam unbeaten on 283 having upped the tempo before lunch as he beat Dick Duckfield’s 280* against Surrey at The Oval in 1936 for the highest first-class score by a Glamorgan batter in London.
Colin Ingram also helped to break the record books as he swatted Tom Helm for six to point and through the hands of the fielder as Glamorgan reached 590-3 – their highest-ever total against Middlesex beating the 584-3d at Southgate in 2005. After an hour after lunch on the second day, Glamorgan declared on 620-3 which was their eight highest total in first-class cricket and only surpassed by:
795-5d v Leicestershire at Grace Road, Leicester, 2022.
737 v Sussex at Hove, 2023.
718-3d v Sussex at Colwyn Bay, 2000 .
702-8d v Surrey at The Oval, 2009 .
672-6d v Surrey at The Oval, 2021.
648-4d v Nottinghamshire at Colwyn Bay, 1999.
647-7d v Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College, 2006.
For the record, the other batters to score 300 in first-class cricket at Lord’s have been:
333 by Graham Gooch England v India 1990.
316* by Jack Hobbs Surrey v Middlesex 1926,
315* by Percy Holmes Yorkshire v Middlesex, 1925;
315 by Mark Wagh Warwickshire v Middlesex 2001,
303* by Nick Knight Warwickshire v Middlesex 2004.