The number 166 is synonymous with London County. In 2004 we reformed London County CC exactly 100 years after our original Founder WG Grace scored his final First-Class Century, in 1904, when he made 166 on his 56th birthday for London County versus MCC.
The irony of the number and the link it has with century, is that Neil Burns (as the new Founder of London County in 2004) also made 166 as his highest First-Class score. His career best innings was made for Somerset against Gloucestershire, the other county cricket club founded by WG Grace.
Other examples of 166 centuries include:
South Africa’s Gary Kirsten made a total of 16670 first class runs in his career, from a total of 221 matches. Kirsten is the current coach of India. Prior to taking the role in 2008, Gary Kirsten had been a generous contributor to the London County Bespoke Mentoring Programmes.
Former England captain and legendary commentator, Tony Greig scored 16660 first-class runs in a career of 350 matches.
On 7th June 1922, Ernest Tyldesley scored 166 for Lancashire against Kent at old Trafford. Tyldesley scored a total of 102 first-class centuries and is 24th on the all-time list of centurions. Michael Vaughan is a descendent on his mother’s side of the Tyldesley family.
On 25th November 1924, legendary Australian batsman Bill Ponsford scored 166 for Victoria versus South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match at Melbourne Cricket Ground, before being bowled by Clarrie Grimmett. Ponsford made another score of 166 on 15th March 1930 for an Australian XI versus Tasmania at Hobart. Don Bradman made 139 in the same innings.
On 13th January 1928, Gloucestershire’s Walter Hammond scored 166 not out for MCC versus Border on their South African Tour. On 25th July 1928, Hammond made another 166 score when playing for Gloucestershire against Middlesex at Lord’s. These two centuries contributed to Wally Hammond’s total of 167 first-class centuries, placing him in 3rd place on the all-time list.
On 28th June 1929, Philip Mead scored 166 not out for Hampshire versus Essex at Leyton. During this innings Mead passed 42,000 first-class career runs. He ended his career with 55,061 runs and 153 centuries placing him 4th in the all-time list of first-class centurions.
On 13th August 1932, opener Maurice Leyland scored 166 for Yorkshire versus Leicestershire at Park Avenue, Bradford.
On 11th July 1934, opener Herbert Sutcliffe scored 166 for Yorkshire versus Essex at The Circle, Hull.
On 21st August 1952, Gloucestershire’s Tom Graveney made 166 not out versus Leicestershire at Grace Road. Graveney also made 29 not out in the second innings to secure victory for his team. On 27th August 1966, Graveney also made 166 for Worcestershire versus Essex at New Road, Worcester. These two centuries were part of Tom Graveney’s total of 122 first class centuries which place him 13th on the all-time list of centurions in first-class cricket.
On 18th May 1953, ‘Middlesex Twin’ Bill Edrich scored 166 for Middlesex versus Essex at Chalkwell Park, Westcliff-on-Sea.
On 24th August 1955, Lancashire Captain Cyril Washbrook scored 166 versus Combined Services at Old Trafford, batting at number seven.
On 11th August 1959, Ken Barrington scored 166 for Surrey versus Middlesex at Lord’s.
On 17th July 1959, Warwickshire’s MJK Smith scored 166 for The Gentlemen versus The Players in a drawn match at Lord’s.
On 9th August 1956, Micky Stewart scored 166 for Surrey versus Essex at Clacton-on-Sea. On 6th July 1964, Micky Stewart made another score of 166 for Surrey versus Hampshire at The Oval.
On the 13th December 1965, Bill Lawry scored 166 (off 406 balls) for Australia versus England in the 3rd Ashes Test at Brisbane.
On 8th August 1976, Pakistan and Northamptonshire Captain Mushtaq Mohammed scored 166 for Northamptonshire versus Warwickshire at Wellingborough School.
On 21st August 1976, Pakistan all-rounder Imran Khan scored 166 for Worcestershire versus Northamptonshire at Northampton.
On 2nd May, 1980, New Zealander John Wright scored 166 not out for Derbyshire in the second innings of the match versus Lancashire. South African Peter Kirsten made 162 not out in the same innings, putting on a partnership of 321 with Wright for the second wicket after Alan ‘Bud’ Hill had been dismissed for 5.
On 1st July, 1981, Nottinghamshire’s South African Captain Clive Rice scored 166 not out versus Essex at Chelmsford. Later in the year, Rice’s Nottinghamshire were crowned as County Champions.
On 12th February 1984, South Africa’s Jimmy Cook scored 166 for Transvaal versus Northern Transvaal in the Currie Cup semi-final
On 12th July 1985, England Captain David Gower scored 166 versus Australia at Trent Bridge in the 3rd Ashes Test.
Queensland Captain Kepler Wessels scored 166 in the Sheffield Shield Final on 14th March1986.
On 18th July, 1986, Alec Stewart scored 166 for Surrey versus Kent at The Oval. His father, Micky, was Surrey Cricket Manager at the time, before becoming England Cricket Manager the following winter in Australia when England won The Ashes.
On 5th June 1987, Nottinghamshire captain Tim Robinson scored 166 for England versus Pakistan in the 1st Test at Old Trafford. Robinson also scored a 166 for England versus Northern Districts on 25th January 1988 to record a 7 wicket win for England on their New Zealand Tour.
On 19th May 1990, Mark Waugh scored 166 not out for Essex versus Worcestershire at New Road, Worcester.
On 22nd May 1991 Chris Broad scored 166 for Nottinghamshire versus Kent at Trent Bridge. Broad is now an ICC International Referee, while his son Stuart plays for England.
On 30th August, 1993, West Indian Carl Hooper scored 166 not out for Kent versus Lancashire at Lytham St Anne’s.
On 27th February 1995, Bombay Captain Sachin Tendulkar scored 166 for Bombay versus Tamil Nadu in the quarter final of The Ranji Trophy.
On 19th May, 1995, Northamptonshire’s Allan Lamb scored 166 versus Surrey at Northampton.
On 8th September 1995, current ECB Managing Director (February 2008), Hugh Morris scored 166 not out for Glamorgan versus Nottinghamshire at Cardiff.
On 11th May 1997, opener David Boon scored 166 for Australia versus MCC at Lord’s in a 55 over match.
On 21st May 1998, Graeme Hick scored 166 for Worcestershire v Middlesex at Uxbridge. This was one of Hick’s total of 136 first class centuries, placing him 8th on the all-time list of centurions.
On 23rd May 2003 Kevin Pietersen scored 166 for Nottinghamshire versus Sussex at Horsham.
On 31st May 2007, Martin van Jaarsveld scored 166 for Kent versus Surrey at Whitgift School, while Darren Stevens compiled 179 in a partnership of 230 runs. This was in reply to Surrey’s first innings total of 166!
On 1st March 2009, West Indies wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin scored his maiden Test century. Ramdin scored 166 versus England in the 4th Test of the series at Kensington Oval, Barbados.
England Women’s Cricket World Cup success in Australia (March 2009) came against New Zealand in the Final. Chasing New Zealand’s total of 166, Charlotte Edwards led the team to victory by 4 wickets. The England Team’s Assistant Coach was Jack Birkenshaw, one of London County’s Professional Observers and consultant Coaches.
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