CANTERBURY: Surrey CCC on Wednesday, scripted history as the side pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in the County Championship history.
Surrey chased down 501 runs in their County Championship fixture against Kent, who left stunned by a five-wicket defeat.
Defending champions Surrey’s chase was just one run short of the all-time County Championship record held by Middlesex, who scored 502-6 in the fourth innings to beat Nottinghamshire in 1925.
But since the County Championship was divided into two divisions in 2000, it was a record chase, exceeding the 479-6 tallied by Somerset to defeat Yorkshire in 2009.
Opening batter Dom Sibley, Jamie Smith and Ben Foakes all stood up for Surrey and made significant contributions by scoring magnificent centuries.
Sibley, however, remained their hero of the moment as he batted for a rigorous period of almost 10 hours and faced 415 deliveries on his way to a gritty 140 which featured 14 boundaries.
When Surrey were 91/2 in pursuit of 501, Sibley stitched a valiant 139-run partnership with Jamie Smith and anchored the run chase.
The third-wicket partnership remained heavily dominated by Smith as he decimated Kent bowlers with belligerent hitting.
He scored a quickfire 114 off 77 deliveries, laced up with 18 boundaries and four sixes before making his way back to the pavilion after India international Arshdeep Singh castled him.
Sibley then joined forces with wicketkeeper batter Ben Foakes and could only add 23 runs amid their fourth-wicket partnership at the closure of Day 3.
The pair of Sibley and Foakes resumed Surrey’s innings at 263/3 on the final day and stretched their partnership to 207 until Ben Foakes fell short when Surrey required a mere 64 runs to register an astounding triumph.
Foakes scored 124 off 211 deliveries with the help of 15 boundaries and two sixes.
Following his dismissal, Sibley then put on brief partnerships with Will Jacks (19) and Jordan Clark (26 not out) to complete a remarkable victory for Surrey.
Dom Sibley played a hard-fought knock of 140 runs and remained not out in the successful run chase for his side.
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