Louis Kimber: 'I was just trying to hit the ball as far as I could' in ...

Kimber "got into a weird zone" as he broke multiple County Championship records on the way to a career-high 243 from 127 balls

Louis Kimber admitted that he was "just trying to hit the ball as far as I could" during a remarkable, record-breaking knock of 243 for Leicestershire against Sussex.

The Leicestershire man walked to the crease in the morning session of day four of their County Championship match against Sussex at Hove, with his side 144 for 6, 319 runs from their required total.

Kimber then blasted 191 runs before lunch - the second-highest score in the morning session of a first-class match in history - and reached his double century not long after the break, falling just 18 runs short of a stunnning victory when he dragged on a slower ball from Nathan McAndrew.

He also set the record for the highest-scoring over in County Championship history, taking Ollie Robinson to the cleaners, as the England seamer conceded 43.

Related: Ollie Robinson concedes 43-run over as Louis Kimber breaks cluster of records

Robinson felt the wrath of Kimber in a 43-run over (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Kimber's highest career score before this match was 104, and was the only century he had ever hit in first-class cricket.

He's eclipsed that with a knock of 243, including the most sixes (21) ever hit in a County Championship innings.

On his astonishing double ton, Kimber told the ECB Reporters Network: "You don't get many days like that in your career, it was unbelievable really. It's just a shame we couldn't get over the line but personally you have to enjoy days like that. It was good fun.

"I just tried to be positive and see what happened. I got a bit of luck here and there but you need that. Most of the lads have told me to remember it because days like this don't come around too often.

"My phone has been buzzing and the records I have broken are pretty cool. All the Sussex players congratulated me and told me I didn't deserve to be on the losing side. They were very gracious and over four days [and] probably deserved to win."

Sussex coach Farbrace felt his bowlers were wayward during Kimber's knock (Getty Images)

He added: "I can't remember hitting the ball as cleanly as I did today before. I got into a kind of weird zone when I wasn't thinking too much except trying to hit the ball where I wanted to. It was an amazing feeling. There wasn't too much running going on, I was just trying to hit the ball as far as I could.

"We lost two wickets after lunch but Josh Hull is pretty under-rated as a batter at No.11. I was trying to hit the ball I was out to for a single and then try and win it with the smaller boundary on the leg side. It didn't quite come off.

"There is a sense of frustration personally because I have felt good all season and been in pretty decent touch without posting a decent score so this was probably due. You still have to apply yourself and take the positive option and I did that today. I guess expectations will increase when you do something as noticeable as this but we'll see what happens.

"I have batted at No.3 for most of this season and really enjoyed the challenge but for this game I went down to seven to help the balance of the team and then came in at eight because we'd had a nightwatchman. I want to bat as high as I can but whatever I'm needed to do I will do to try and win us games of cricket."

Paul Farbrace, Sussex's head coach, added: "From their point of view, they had gone from a situation where you're not expected to win to being favourites. Fair play to Louis Kimber, he just kept striking the ball and about ten minutes before we took the last wicket I thought we could be angry about our game but sometimes you have to say well played to someone who played brilliantly and had a day out he will never forget.

"He hit 21 sixes but it felt like 41 and I'm not surprised at the records he has broken, it was an exceptional innings, but our session after lunch when we took the last three wickets was top class."

Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member

Related Topics