Most Expensive Over In First Class Cricket: Ollie Robinson Concedes Second-Costliest Over in History

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Ollie Robinson Concedes Second-Costliest Over in First-Class Cricket History

Brighton (England), Jun 26: England seamer Ollie Robinson etched an unwelcome record in the annals of First-Class cricket history on Wednesday (June 26), conceding 43 runs in a single over during a County Championship match.

This performance, marked by an array of boundaries and no-balls, is the second-costliest over ever bowled in First-Class cricket.

Robinson, a seasoned player with 20 Test appearances for England since his debut in 2021, was representing Sussex in their Division Two match against Leicestershire at the County Ground in Hove.

The 30-year-old right-arm bowler was subjected to a blistering assault by Leicestershire's Louis Kimber. Kimber, who was batting on 72 off 56 balls when the fateful over began, unleashed a torrent of runs that saw him skyrocket to 109 not out off just 65 balls by the over's end. His partner at the other end was Ben Cox.

The 59th over of Leicestershire's second innings, during which they were chasing 464, became a nightmare for Robinson. Over-stepping thrice, his nine-ball over comprised two sixes, six fours, and a single, accumulating a staggering 43 runs.

County cricket rules impose a two-run penalty for no-balls, further exacerbating Robinson's plight. The breakdown of the over read: 6, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 4, 6, 4, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 4, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 1.

Who Bowled The Most Expensive Over In First Class Cricket?

This catastrophic over eclipsed the previous record for an English bowler, held by former Test pacer Alex Tudor, who conceded 38 runs in an over to Andrew Flintoff during a Surrey versus Lancashire match in 1998.

Kimber's onslaught didn't stop there; he continued to dominate, breaking the record for the fastest double-century in County cricket. Additionally, he shattered England Test captain Ben Stokes' record of most sixes in a County innings, hitting 21 sixes. Kimber was the last man to fall, having scored a breathtaking 243 off 127 balls, including 20 fours and 21 sixes, as Sussex clinched a narrow 18-run victory.

This event adds to a recent trend of high-scoring overs in County cricket. Just on Monday, England spinner Shoaib Bashir conceded 38 runs in an over, with Dan Lawrence hitting five consecutive sixes off his bowling. Bashir's over also included five wides, a no-ball, and a single in a Division One match.

While Robinson's over is the second-costliest in First-Class cricket, the record remains with former New Zealand off-break bowler Bert Vance. Vance conceded an astonishing 77 runs in an over during a Shell Trophy game between Wellington and Canterbury in the 1989-1990 season, which included 17 no-balls. Vance represented New Zealand in four Tests and eight ODIs between 1988 and 1989.

Robinson's ill-fated over will be remembered as a remarkable and unfortunate moment in cricket history, highlighting the unpredictability and excitement of the sport.