Ex-England star enters league’s all-time top 10
Former England Test allrounder Rikki Clarke created a stir when he blasted 229 in a Hampshire League game last weekend.
But the ex-Surrey, Derbyshire and Warwickshire star’s six-laden innings - he smacked 22 maximums playing for Shrewton against Bashley 3rds - only just earns him a place in the Hampshire League’s all-time top 10 individual scores.
Remarkably, he would have needed another 102 runs to even EQUAL the league’s record innings.
And Sarisbury 2nds opener Elliot Smith, who struck 226 on the same day against Ellingham, has to be satisfied with 15th place in the Hampshire League hall of fame. He doesn’t even have the honour of having made his club’s highest HL score!
The overall highest innings record is held by Ryde Cavaliers’ Tommy Barton, who six years ago hammered an astonishing 331 not out in a Regional Division 4 South East fixture against Portchester 3rds at the Smallbrook Stadium.
Barton, man of the match when Lymington won the 2009 Southern Premier League T20 Cup final against Ventnor, smashed 34 sixes and 19 fours.
Sixteen of his maximums were hit off John Buckle as Ryde powered their way to 518-2 in just 42 overs.
Shell-shocked Portchester were skittled for 97 in reply.
Barton’s innings knocked Ben Lawrence off top spot in the all-time list, the Burghclere batter having blasted 255 not out in a Hampshire League Regional Division Two North fixture against Thruxton three years earlier.
Previously, South African Adrian Greyvenstein had held the record having struck 239 while playing for Hythe & Dibden against Amport in 2003.
Clarke’s innings sees him enter the all-time list in 10th place, but he is not the highest placed among former first class cricketers.
That’s because ex-Hampshire all-rounder Lawrence Prittipaul struck 244 for Servicemaster seven years ago.
Like Clarke, he also struck 22 sixes – against Steep 2nds in a team total of 444-5.
Top 20
331* - T.Barton (Ryde Cavaliers,
R4SE, 2016)
269 - I.Khan (RAM, C3N, 2018)
263* - E.Lyle (Kingsclere, D4N, 2021)
255* - B.Lawrence (Burghclere, R2N, 2013
244 - L.Prittipaul (Servicemaster, R2S, 2015)
239* - A.Greyvenstein (Hythe & Dibden, C2, 2003)
239* - W.DeCani (Longparish, C2, 2015)
232* - C.Tollerfield (Lymington, R3SW, 2018)
230 - H.Majid (Sarisbury, C2, 2000)
229 - R.Clarke (Shrewton, D2, 2022)
228 - S.Snell (Ventnor, C2, 2000)
226* - T.Barton (Ryde Cavaliers, R1SE, 2017)
226 - R.Choudhary (Dorset Indians, R4SW, 2015)
226 - C.Pain (Hyde, C4W, 2019)
226 - E.Smith (Sarisbury, D3N, 2022)
225 - J.Cooper (Godshill, R2NW, 2010)
223* - S.Jordan (Silchester, R3NE, 2009)
222 - J.Van Wyck (Winton, R4SW, 2014)
220 - N.Willcock (Old Basing, C2, 2009)
220* - S.Thompson, Hayling Island, C4S, 2010)