Flashback: The only player with 60 thousand runs in First-Class cricket

First-Class cricket is the highest level of domestic or international matches played in cricket. It consists of games of three or more days scheduled duration between the two teams. Former England cricketer Jack Hobbs was one such player who scored a mountain of runs in FC cricket during his career.

Hobbs is the only cricketer to smash 60 thousand-plus runs in First-Class cricket history. The right-handed batter had struck a mammoth 61,760 runs in 834 FC matches at an average of 50.70 with a staggering 199 centuries and 273 half-centuries to his name.

Hobbs batted in 1325 innings and his highest score was 316*. He stood not out 107 times in his FC career AND is the leading run-scorer and century-maker in first-class encounters. Having made his debut in the year 1905, his career spanned 29 years. He is to date regarded as one of the greatest batters in the history of the game.

Born on December 16, 1882, in Cambridge, Hobbs played 61 Tests for England and smashed 5410 runs at an average of 56.94, with the best score of 211. He hammered 15 centuries and 28 half-centuries in the longest format of the game at the international level. Hobbs was also an occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler who took 108 wickets in 834 FC games. His bowling average was 25.03 and strike rate 48.3 with an economy rate of 3.10.

His best bowling figures were 7/56 with three five-wicket hauls to his name. He made his Test debut against Australia in Melbourne in January 1908 and also played his last Test against the Aussies, at The Oval in London in August 1930. On December 21, 1963, Hobbs took his last breath in Hove, Sussex as he passed away aged 81y 5d.