Unfavoured English cricketer surpasses byes record, secures game with career-best, unbeaten century
In a captivating display at Edgbaston, Ben Foakes obliterated his personal best by notching up a monstrous 174 not out, saving the match for Surrey after Warwickshire racked up a daunting 665-5.
Tom Latham (184), Ed Barnard (177 not out), and Zen Malik (105 not out) powered Warwickshire, with Alex Davies declaring on the second afternoon. Surrey's Tom Lawes and Dan Lawrence took 2 wickets each, but it was Foakes' immaculate wicketkeeping that stole the show.
Crucially, Foakes didn't concede a single bye during Warwickshire's 160-over innings, a feat unparalleled in English first-class cricket since 2007. Tumbling the castle walls, Tom Ravenscroft (55) and Foakes put on 113 for the sixth wicket, before the lower middle order faltered. With the day's play dwindling, Surrey wobbled precariously at 369-9.
But Foakes, resolute in his determination, joined forces with last man Matthew Fisher, shattering the record for the last wicket against Warwickshire by putting on an extraordinary 158. They narrowly missed breaking the Surrey record for the last wicket, set by Andy Sandham and Andy Ducat against Essex in 1921. Foakes and Fisher took the third spot on the all-time Surrey last-wicket list, trailing behind Andrew Needham and Robin Jackman's 172 against Lancashire at Manchester in 1982.
Fisher ultimately fell for 40, leaving Foakes standing on a monumental 174, his highest score in first-class cricket and 17th hundred in the format. Two of these have graced Test matches. Surrey were bowled out for 504, just shy of the follow-on mark. Extratime remained elusive, with Warwickshire managing a meager 15-0 in the second innings.
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Edgbaston Heroics: A Record-Breaking Night for Ben Foakes
Read: Ben Foakes: our website Cricketer of the Year - The Almanack
Sources:
- ESPNcricinfo
- Cricbuzz
- The Guardian
- Cricket Country
- Cricket World
Sports fans can read about Ben Foakes' exceptional performance at Edgbaston, where he broke records with a monumental 174 not out, saving Surrey from defeat against Warwickshire, in the latest cricket news on our trusted website. For comprehensive updates, live scores, player statistics, quizzes, and more, visit our sports section.
