Napier blitz stuns Surrey

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Graham Napier smashed an astonishing 16 sixes en route to a blistering career-best 196 for Essex in their match against Surrey

Essex all-rounder Graham Napier equalled the world record tally of 16 sixes in a first-class innings on an astonishing day that saw over 500 runs scored at Whitgift School.

Napier, making his first LV= County Championship appearance of the season following his recovery from back trouble, plundered 196 from just 130 balls to lift Essex from their overnight score of 318 for six to a mammoth 548 all out against Division Two rivals Surrey.

The 31-year-old brought up his hundred from 102 balls, before accelerating in devastating fashion during an astonishing ninth-wicket stand of 190 with Chris Wright, who made 34.

To their credit, Surrey responded well to the onslaught and skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown ended day two unbeaten on 148 in a score of 277 for four.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen contributed 58 from 56 balls for the hosts on his return to county action, but this day will be remembered for the heroics of Napier, who also struck 16 sixes against Sussex in a Twenty20 Cup match in July 2008.

The day started poorly for Essex with the early loss of Tim Phillips and David Masters before Napier launched a fully-fledged attack on Surrey’s tiring attack.

Balls disappeared at an alarming rate as Napier moved to his first championship century since July 2007 - and only his fourth first-class hundred - with consecutive sixes over extra cover and long-off against pace bowler Tim Linley.

Napier might have gone with his score on 118 had Chris Tremlett held onto a skier at long-on off Gareth Batty. However, the missed opportunity merely proved the cue for the batsman to move into overdrive and his third 50 came from just 15 balls.

An electrifying partnership was finally ended when Wright was run out at the non-strikers' end following a mix-up over a risky leg bye.

Napier then departed in the next over, just four short of his first championship double hundred, as he attempted to strike yet another maximum off Stuart Meaker and succeeded only in top-edging a pull into the arms of wicketkeeper Steven Davies.

By this stage, Napier had equalled Andrew Symonds’ 16 sixes for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan at Abergavenny in 1995 and he was afforded a standing ovation as he left the field.

Needing almost 400 to avoid the follow-on, Surrey made good inroads with a 136-run partnership in 35 overs between former Millfield School pupils Hamilton-Brown and Tom Maynard.

The duo’s alliance represented Surrey’s first century opening stand in almost two years, although Maynard was then caught behind for 43 off Masters.

Mark Ramprakash swiftly followed, bowled by Wright for a 12-ball duck, but Hamilton-Brown continued to prosper and brought up a fluent hundred with his 20th boundary.

Pietersen received a reprieve on 18 when he aimed an ambituious drive at Masters and saw Mark Pettini spill an overhead chance at mid-off.

The flamboyant batsman settled into his stride thereafter, striking two sixes and seven fours in an entertaining knock.

However, he departed shortly before the close, lbw to the occasional medium-pace of Matt Walker, and Napier fittingly had the final word as he dismissed nightwatchman Stuart Meaker for one.

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