First-class wickets

This list of first-class cricket records itemises some record team and individual performances in first-class cricket. The list is necessarily selective, since it is in cricket's nature to generate copious records and statistics. Both instance records (such as highest team and individual scores, lowest team scores and record margins of victory) and season and career records (such as most runs or wickets in a season, and most runs or wickets in a career) are included.

It must be remembered that, officially, there was no "first-class cricket" in Great Britain before 1895 or in the rest of the world before 1947 (see First-class cricket for details of the official rulings). The performances noted in this article include several which occurred in earlier years but it is understood that all were achieved in important matches that are retrospectively recognised by most historians or statisticians as first-class (i.e., unofficially so). Some matches have not been universally accepted as important or first-class for statistical purposes and there are thus variations in published cricket statistics, mainly because of the different proposals that have been made for the starting date of the statistical records, ranging from the 17th century to 1895.

Records shown here are quoted by either CricketArchive or Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, unless otherwise stated.

Qualification: Innings and 550 runs.

Qualification: 575 runs.

There have been 33 ties in first-class cricket since 1948. Before then, a tie was sometimes declared where the scores were level when scheduled play ended, but the side batting last still had wickets in hand. Matches where this happens are considered a draw today, and a tie is now recognised only where the scores are level and the side batting fourth is dismissed.

Qualification: 900.

Qualification: 15.

The lowest aggregate for a completed first-class match where the winning side bowled their opponents out twice is 105, MCC v Australians at Lord's, 1878.

Qualification: 510.

The highest individual score in first-class cricket is 501* scored by Brian Lara for Warwickshire in 1994. There have been nine other scores of 400 or more, including another by Lara and two by Bill Ponsford.

...
Wikipedia