Surrey

Listen to Surrey's batsman James Benning after Surrey’s record breaking match with Gloucestershire at the Brit Oval.  You can also listen to Surrey's Ali Brown and BBC London's cricket commentator Mark Church as he witnessed the world record.

Click on the links below to listen to the interviews:

29.04.07 BBC London 94.9's cricket commentator Mark Church witnessed History being made at the Brit Oval

I turned up at the Brit Oval on Sunday morning thinking it would be a pretty routine day. I always get to the ground early and after setting up the equipment I went for a cup of coffee to wake myself up. I had been at the ground until 10 o’clock the night before after Surrey had almost chased down 503 against Hampshire in the Championship game and I was feeling pretty jaded.

On my way to the local café I bumped into a friend who asked who I’d tip to make a hundred in the game. I’d seen the wicket was pretty close to where Ali Brown had scored his world record 268 five years earlier, so I made a stab in the dark and said, “Go for Brown. He’s eight to one to make a hundred. Those are great odds “. I really wish I had backed my instincts.

Surrey won the toss and batted first. “They’ve done the first thing right “I said on commentary. The first over was a maiden. It was a good one from Ashley Noffke and James Benning played it with respect. And then all hell broke lose.

Ali Brown went berserk. I was struggling to keep up with what was happening as six after six landed in the stands. He raced past 50 and then I remembered the tip I had given my friend. “This could be something special from Brown “I said on commentary thinking why didn’t I back myself!!!!! He went passed a hundred in just 50 balls and we were already talking about him breaking his world record. The emails were going mad. Listeners from all over the world were getting excited beginning to realise they might be listening to history. Then he went passed 150. I nipped out at the end of the over and rung the studio. “Get an ear on this “I barked “It’s pretty special”.

On 176 Brown was out. Gutted. There goes my only chance of commentating on something historic. Suddenly though James Benning   picked up where Brown had left off. I was getting excited again. Benning went past 100 and Surrey went past 300. On commentary we were already discussing Surrey’s highest ever one day score, 438 against Glamorgan. When Benning got to 150 we knew they could break their own record. 2 runs later Benning was out and again great disappointment in the commentary box.

But Azhar Mahmood went mad with the bat and the ball kept going to all parts. Suddenly Surrey were passed 400 and there were still ten overs left. On commentary I was saying “the World record is 443 – they can do this “. I was beginning to get very excited but slightly panicky. Don’t get this wrong. Keep checking your facts. Yup, definitely 443.

Rikki Clarke got them to 440. A Surrey record.  4 away from a world record. The timing could not have been better – at that moment the Sunday Sports Show crossed live to the ground. Caroline Barker handed to me . Just enough time to explain the situation…please let me get this right.

Jon Batty was on strike. Mustn’t get carried away. Batty smashed one through the covers. It was going to the boundary. This is it………..I can’t remember what I said….too caught up in the moment…but what a moment.

Surrey finally finished on 496. They had smashed the World Record. I turned off the microphone exhausted. I hadn’t expected that…nobody had. I pottered downstairs and bumped into my friend who gave me a massive hug…..why didn’t I back Ali Brown.

And then it dawned on me…..I’ve just commentated on a World Record….doubt I’ll ever do that again…hope it sounded ok. I’ll never forget it and I don’t think anybody who was there ever will. And it won’t be broken for a very long time.