Englishman smashes 21st century’s highest score

Glamorgan's Sam Northeast reached 410 not out against Leicestershire in the English County Championship on Saturday -- the ninth-highest first-class score of all time.

Northeast's score, in a mammoth team total of 795-5, is just the 11th individual score of 400-plus in the history of first-class cricket and is the highest score of the 21st century.

The 32-year-old went to his 400 with a six back over the bowler's head, following up with another six from the next delivery.

It is the third-highest score in the history of the County Championship which dates back to 1890.

The all-time record for a first-class match is Brian Lara's 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.

Lara also scored 400 not out for West Indies against England 10 years later -- the only other score of 400 in the this century.

The only other score in England between Northeast's 410 and Lara's 501 is Archie MacLaren's 424 not out for Lancashire against Somerset at Taunton in 1895.

Glamorgan lead Leicestershire by 211 runs at lunch on the final day of the four-day match in division two of the County Championship.

Northeast has put on 461 runs for the sixth wicket with Chris Cooke, who was 191 not out at lunch.