List of first-class cricket quadruple centuries

A quadruple century (an individual score of 400 runs or more) has been scored ten times in first-class cricket by eight different players. It was first achieved in 1895 by Archie MacLaren, while both the most recent occurrences have been by Brian Lara, who is also the only player to have managed the feat in Test cricket. Lara holds the record for the highest score in first-class cricket, having made 501 not out in 1994.

Prior to 1895, the highest score in first-class cricket was W. G. Grace's 344. This total was surpassed by MacLaren, playing for Lancashire during a County Championship match against Somerset. MacLaren opened the batting for his side at the County Ground, Taunton, and struck 1 six and 64 fours during his innings, which lasted well into the second day of the three-day match. MacLaren's score remained the only quadruple century for over 25 years, until Bill Ponsford accumulated 429 runs in just his third first-class match. Ponsford improved on his own total four years later, reaching 437 runs; both of his quadruple centuries being scored at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The next quadruple century was again scored in Australia, on this occasion by Don Bradman. Playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Bradman surmounted his compatriot's total, finishing on 452 not out. His innings, which lasted 415 minutes, is the shortest of any quadruple century.

Each of the following three quadruple centuries were scored in the Indian subcontinent, where according to MacLaren's biographer Michael Down, "standards of play are sometimes hard to assess."B. B. Nimbalkar was the first batsman to score a quadruple century without setting a new record for the highest score, hitting 443 not out for Maharashtra at Pune Club Ground. Their opposition, Kathiawar, conceded the match on the third day without batting for a second time. In 1959, Hanif Mohammad eclipsed Bradman's record, scoring 499 runs before he was run out. Playing at the Karachi Parsi Institute Ground, he was trying to reach 500 runs before the end of the third day when he was run out in the final over. Fifteen years later, Aftab Baloch became the sixth player to score a quadruple century. Captaining Sind at the National Stadium, Karachi, Baloch scored 428 runs as his side totalled 951 for 7 declared in reply to their opponent's first innings 93.

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