XtraTime Web Desk: The great Duleepsinhji set the county ground at Hove on fire with his terrific knock of 333 in little over 5 hours against Northamptonshire on this day in 1930. The fact that only three batsmen have scored more runs in a day in first-class cricket, speaks volumes of Duleepsinhji’s effort on that day. West Indian legend Brian Lara has scored the most runs on a single day. He scored the last 390 runs of his famous 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994.
Duleepsinhji was regarded as one of the most gifted batsmen ever to grace the game of the cricket. He represented England in 12 tests, scoring almost 1000 runs (995) at an average of 58.5. He scored 3 centuries for England during a career spanning 8 years. He could not prolong his test career due to health problems. However, it was his heroics during a County match between Sussex and Northants in 1930 that helped him enter the record books.
Duleepsinhji joined Sussex County in the year 1924 before making his England debut in 1929. He did not have a great debut against the touring South African side. But he more than made up in the series against New Zealand which followed. He ended up scoring 358 runs at an average of 89.50. He was a confident test cricketer at the start of 1930 season.
He did not have a great first match of the county season against Nottinghamshire. The next match was against Northamptonshire at Home from May 7. The Northants attack had the likes of Nobby Clark and Vallance Jupp, who had already represented England. Duleepsinhji walked into bat at No 3 after the fall of Albert Thomas in just the second over of the day. The Northants bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets. James Parks was out for nine. Clarke got Thomas Cook for 19. James Langridge walked back for 17. Henry Parks was bowled for 11.
But the fall of wickets at the other end did not have any effect on Duleepsinhji, who batted with sheer confidence. By the time Henry Parks was the fifth man out, the score was already 235. Duleep had added 77 with Cook, 75 with Langridge and 53 with Henry Parks.
And when Maurice Tate came in, runs flowed from both ends. Both Tate and Duleepsinhji made the Northants bowling look like club standard, scoring runs at an astonishing rate. After just about five hours at the crease, Duleep went past the 29-year-old record of his uncle, the legendaru Ranjisinhji to become the highest scorer for Sussex. By the time Duleepsinhji departed, falling victim to Mathews, the scoreboard showed 333 runs against his name. His innings included 33 hits to the fence and a six during his five and half hours stay at the crease.
Duleepsinhji’s record for Sussex stood for 73 years before the Zimbabwean batsman Murray Goodwin struck an unbeaten 335 against Lancashire in September 2003.