What is the record for the highest fourth innings total registered in first-class cricket?
Glamorgan and Gloucestershire played out a nail-biting tie in a first-class match that concluded at the College Ground in Cheltenham on Wednesday, July 3. The game was played as part of the ongoing County Championship Division Two.
Set to chase a near improbable target of 593, Glamorgan almost pulled off an incredible chase. They were all out for 592 in 152 overs. In an unbelievable climax, the last wicket fell off the last ball of the match, with the batting side needing one run to pull off a victory for the ages.
Had Glamorgan chased down the target of 593, they would have broken the record for the highest successful chase in first-class history. The record is held by West Zone, who chased down a target of 536 against South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final held in February 2010.
Glamorgan's 592 is third on the list of highest fourth innings totals in first-class cricket
While Glamorgan fell agonizingly short of breaking the record for the highest successful chase in first-class cricket, their effort ranks at number three among highest fourth innings FC totals.
The highest-ever fourth innings total in first-class cricket was registered by England against South Africa in Durban back in March 1939. Setting a target of 696, the Englishmen finished on a highly impressive 654-5 as the match ended in a draw. Bill Edrich top-scored for England with 219 in their second innings, while skipper Wally Hammond contributed 140 and opener Paul Gibb 120.
Maharashtra's 604 against Mumbai [then Bombay] in the Ranji Trophy in March 1919 is second on the list of highest fourth innings total in first-class cricket. Maharashtra were set a humungous target of 959 in the high-scoring match played in Pune. Despite scoring 604 in their second innings, Maharashtra lost the game by a big margin of 354 runs.
Sharad Deodhar top-scored for Maharashtra with 146 in their second innings, while Madhusudan Rege scored 100, Sadashiv Palsule 97 and Manohar Datar 86. Earlier, Mumbai scored 714-8 declared in their second innings as Dattu Phadkar scored 160, Uday Merchant 156 and Khandu Rangnekar 94.
Mumbai had won the toss and elected to bat first in the match. They put up 651 in their first innings as M.K Mantri scored 200, while Merchant and Phadkar hit hundreds. Maharashtra responded with 407 as Datar scored 143 and Rege 133. The first-innings deficit of 244 runs proved to be hugely defining in the context of the match.