Records tumbled in England’s domestic cricket on Thursday (August 17), as Adam Lyth blasted the third-highest score in T20 history, slamming a whirlwind 161, as Yorkshire fell agonisingly close to breaking the all-time record total.
The stunning assault from the opening batsman finally came to an end in the last over, helping Yorkshire to post a massive 260 for four in the allotted 20 overs against Northamptonshire at Headingley.
The 161-run knock from Lyth came off just 73 balls is now the highest score in a Twenty20 match in England and third highest of all time, behind Chris Gayle’s astonishing 66-ball 175* runs for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League in 2013 and Hamilton Mazakadza’s unbeaten 162 from 71 balls in Zimbabwe’s domestic competition.
The previous highest score in the shortest format of the game in England was held by Brendon McCullum who had slammed 158 for Birmingham Bears against Derbyshire.
Lyth’s incredible knock was studded with 20 fours and seven sixes, as he shared a partnership of 127 runs with Tom Kohler-Cadmore for the first wicket before following it up with a stand of 124 with David Willey.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire fell just three runs short of the all-time highest team total in T20s which is held by Royal Challengers Bangalore and Australia. The IPL outfit had scored 263 for five against Pune Warriors India in 2013 while Australia posted 263 for three against Sri Lanka last year.
Yorkshire needed 11 runs off the final to post the highest-ever T20 total and with Lyth on the crease, it looked very much likely. However, their hopes when bashed when Azharullah dismissed Tim Bresnan and Lyth inside first four balls.
Here is a small clip of Lyth’s stunning innings:
EXCEPTIONAL BATTING‼️@lythy09 hits his maiden T20 ? & it's been a joy to watch #Blast17 pic.twitter.com/NKanJ25Zbu
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) August 17, 2017
In reply, Northamptonshire got off to a flying start with Richard Levi and Adam Rossington adding 72 runs in just 29 balls but once the former was dismissed for a 32-ball 65 runs knock with the scoreboard reading a promising 110 for three off just nine overs, the visitors’ chase was derailed, as they lost their remaining seven wickets for just 26 runs to lose the match by 124 runs.
In another match, Kent openers Joe Denley and Daniel Bell-Drummond created another record by adding 207 runs for the first wicket for Essex. The 207-run stand is the highest partnership for the first wicket in a 20-over cricket and the third-highest of all time. Denley scored 127 off 66 balls while Bell-Drummond remained unbeaten on 80 off 49 balls, as Kent scored 221 for two.
In reply, Essex, led by Varun Chopra’s 116-run knock, gave Kent a mighty scare before falling short by just 11 runs.