286 Runs Scored off One Ball
Trivia:
It was reported under the ‘Sporting Notes and News’ section of a British newspaper ‘Pall Mall Gazette’ on 15 January 1894 that 286 runs scored off one ball. The match was played between Western Australia and Victoria ‘scratch XI from the neighborhood’ at Bunbury. Victorians took the stance and the first ball was hit to the branches of a tall Jarrah tree which was situated inside the ground.
The home team appealed for the ‘Lost Ball’ but umpires declined the appeal because they could see the ball in the tree. The Victorians batsmen took full advantage of the situation and started running between the wickets. The opposition were looking for an axe to chop down the tree. Unfortunately, there was no axe around. Then someone brought a rifle and after numerous miss hits, finally, they hit the ball. However, no one caught the ball before it hit the ground. Meanwhile, the Victorians completed 286 runs by then and created the record of scoring most runs off a single delivery. Victorians declared the innings immediately and it is said that they won the match comfortably.
There was no concrete evidence of this incident, but the news was reported in many newspapers around the globe.
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Featured Image Credit: Victoria Whiteley – unsplash (resized as per the need)