England's Ollie Robinson gives away 43 runs for second-costliest over in First Class cricket
Brighton (England), Jun 26: England seamer Ollie Robinson on Wednesday had an unwanted record registered against his name for bowling the second-costliest over in First-Class cricket history, giving away 43 runs during a County Championship match.
The right-arm Robinson, who has played 20 Tests for England since his debut in 2021, was clobbered for 43 runs in a total of nine deliveries he bowled to complete his over.
Robinson, 30, was playing for Sussex against Leicestershire in Division Two match here at the County Ground in Hove.
Robinson, who overstepped thrice in the over, was hit for an overall two sixes, six fours and a single by Leicestershire's Louis Kimber, who was batting on 72 off 56 balls when the contest entered the 59th over of their second innings chasing 464.
ALSO READ: England spinner Shoaib Bashir makes unwanted history by conceding 38 runs in one over
By the time Robinson finished his over, the right-handed Kimber had galloped to 109 not out off just 65 balls, with Ben Cox being the batter at the other end.
In county cricket, no-balls carry a two-run penalty.
The figures from Robinson's 13th over in the game read: 6, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 4, 6, 4, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 4, 6nb (4x1, 2-nb), 1.
Robinson thus also reset the record of most runs conceded by an English bowler, surpassing ex Test pacer Alex Tudor's 38-run over in which 34 were scored by Andrew Flintoff in a Surrey versus Lancashire contest in 1998.
Kimber went on with his carnage as he broke the record for the fastest double century in County cricket and England Test captain Ben Stokes' record of most sixes in a County innings (18).
But Kimber was the last man to be dismissed after a whirlwind 127-ball 243 with 20 fours and 21 sixes as Sussex clinched the game with an 18-run win.
On Monday, England spinner Shoaib Bashir had given away 38 runs when Dan Lawrence smacked five consecutive sixes to the right-arm bowler who had an impressive tour of India earlier this year.
Bashir also bowled five wides, a no-ball and allowed a single in the Division One match.
The costliest over in history of First-Class cricket, however, was registered when former New Zealand off-break bowler Bert Vance was hammered for a mind-boggling 77 runs during a Shell Trophy game between Wellington and Canterbury in 1989-1990.
Vance, who bowled 17 no-balls in that over, played four Tests and eight ODIs for New Zealand between 1988-89.
Ollie Robinson has conceded 43 runs in an over.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 26, 2024
- Most expensive over in 134 years of County Championship history. 🤯pic.twitter.com/SSWUg3smiF
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
ALSO READ: Cong candidate who moved Kerala HC for name reinstatement in voter list, wins
Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
