Bobby Abel's 357* — Surrey's Record Stands at the Oval, 1899

Surrey had won six of the first nine official County Championships and were defending champions in 1899. Abel had been first picked for Surrey in 1881; by 1899 he had over 25,000 first-class runs and was the senior professional. Somerset, in only their ninth Championship season, had a thin attack.

Surrey won the toss on the Bank Holiday Monday morning of 29 May at The Oval. Abel and Brockwell took guard against Edwin Tyler and Cranfield Sammy Woods.

Abel — 'The Guv'nor' — was Surrey's senior professional and a 13-Test England batsman. By 1899 he was 41, short and barrel-chested, and famous for occupying the crease. Somerset had drawn the short straw of bowling first at the Oval on a true pitch in late May.

Abel and Bill Brockwell opened. Brockwell was caught for 11. Abel batted on, joined by Tom Hayward (158) for a 364-run second-wicket partnership, then by Vivian Crawford (129) for another big stand. He passed his then-highest first-class score of 250 in mid-afternoon on day two, then 300, then on the morning of day three he reached 357 not out as the Surrey innings closed at 811. He had batted 8 hours 35 minutes, carrying his bat through the innings — the first batsman ever to carry his bat for over 350.

Surrey won by an innings and 379. Abel's 357* remains Surrey's highest individual first-class score; the carrying-bat 357* still stands as the world record for that statistical category. Abel finished the 1899 season with 2,685 first-class runs at 56.25 — the highest aggregate of his career.

“Mr Abel batted with the patience of a saint and the eye of a hawk.”

Abel went on to score 2,685 first-class runs in 1899 — his career best. He retired in 1904 with 33,124 first-class runs; for many years he had the most first-class runs of any cricketer who had not played for England outside of his own brief stint. He kept a sports outfitters in Lambeth into old age and died in 1936.