English batsman Sam Northeast has become the first man since Brian Lara to score at least 400 runs in a County Championship game.
Glamorgan racked up a county-record 795-5 declared on day four of their Division Two match against Leicestershire, heavily bolstered by the 32-year-old’s phenomenal score.
His laser-like focus and sweet strokeplay were clear to see as Northeast finished on 410 not out off just 450 balls - incredibly efficient especially given the amount of time he spent at the crease. He reached the quadruple century in style by smashing back-to-back sixes just before the lunch break. Those were two of three sixes Northeast hit throughout his innings, to go with a whopping 45 fours.
The Englishman is only the ninth man in the history of first-class cricket to join the 400 club, and the first in county cricket since West Indies legend Lara struck the record score of 501* in 1994. His score is the highest individual score this century in elite-level cricket, surpassing Lara’s Test-record 400 not out at the Antigua Recreation Ground against England in 2004.
It was the third-highest innings in championship history, behind Lara and Archie MacLaren’s 424 for Lancashire against Somerset in 1895. Northeast shares another piece of history with Chris Cooke, who finished on 191 not out, as the pair added 461 for the sixth wicket - the largest Glamorgan partnership of all time which surpassed the 425 set by Sir Viv Richards and Adrian Dale.
Northeast's innings also took him beyond Steve James' previous best for Glamorgan, which was 309 not out. The former Kent and Hampshire skipper also passed 1,000 runs for the Championship season in his first summer with the side.
His tally of 258 on the third day of the match at Leicester represented the most runs scored by a Glamorgan player in a day, 20 more than the previous best by current coach Matthew Maynard. Northeast's heroics helped propel Glamorgan to an innings and 28 runs victory over Leicestershire.
After reaching a total, of 584 all out, Glamorgan posted their highest ever score before their bowlers rattled through the Foxes batting lineup in the second innings to bowl them out for just 183 to take the win.
Michael Hogan (4-43) and Michael Neser (3-60) led the victory charge after the batting masterclass from Northeast and Cooke.
The victory moves Glamorgan eight points clear of Middlesex in the Division Two promotion race, 15 points behind leaders Nottinghamshire with four matches left to play.
