Dom Sibley struck a monumental 305 as Surrey piled up a club-record 820-9 declared at the Kia Oval, eclipsing a 126-year-old record in sweltering conditions on day two against Durham.
The 10-hour epic from Sibley, supported by rapid centuries from Dan Lawrence and Will Jacks, helped Surrey surpass their previous best of 811 set against Somerset in 1899. The declaration came just after tea, and by stumps Durham had limped to 59-1 in reply.
Surrey resumed on 407-3, and by the time Sibley was dismissed for 305 — after facing 475 balls and hitting 29 fours and two sixes — they had amassed the fourth-highest total in County Championship history and the highest ever against Durham in first-class cricket.
Starting the day on 169, Sibley extended his fourth-wicket stand with Lawrence to 334 — Surrey’s highest for that wicket against Durham. Lawrence reached a fluent 178, his first-class career-best, which included 19 fours and four sixes before being dismissed by Daniel Hogg.
Sibley later shared a 133-run stand with Jacks, who blazed 119 off just 94 balls with four sixes of his own. Jacks’ six over midwicket shortly after tea took Surrey past their previous best first-class total, and when he was caught attempting a third consecutive six, the declaration followed 12 balls later.
Sibley’s 305 joins the elite list of Surrey triple-centurions, including Bobby Abel (357), Kevin Pietersen, Walter Read, Sir Jack Hobbs, Tom Hayward, Andy Ducat, and Mark Ramprakash. It was the eighth triple century in Surrey’s first-class history, and the seventh-highest individual score for the county.
Durham’s bowlers toiled in temperatures above 30°C, with stand-in spinner George Drissell enduring a torrid time. His final figures — 45 overs, 1 wicket for 247 runs — are now the most expensive bowling return in County Championship history.
Durham were without Ben Raine, sidelined with injury after bowling ten overs on day one, and their limited attack had few answers to Surrey’s relentless batting.
Surrey’s innings also marked the highest first-class total ever conceded by Durham, overtaking the 810-4 declared made by Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1994 — when Brian Lara famously scored 501 not out.
Sibley becomes the fourth player to score 300 or more against Durham in first-class cricket, joining Lara, Graeme Hick, and Darren Lehmann.
In their 28-over reply, Durham lost Emilio Gay early, bowled behind his legs by Matt Fisher for seven. Alex Lees (33*) and Will Rhodes (16*) survived until the close, but both benefitted from dropped catches — Lees put down by Jordan Clark at cover and Rhodes spilled by Sibley at second slip.
Surrey’s grip on the match remains firm, with Durham still trailing by 761 runs and only nine wickets in hand going into day three.
Highest ever totals in County Championship Cricket
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887 – Yorkshire v Warwickshire, Edgbaston (1896)
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863 – Lancashire v Surrey, The Oval (1990)
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850-7 dec – Somerset v Middlesex, Taunton (2007)
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820-9 dec – Surrey v Durham, The Oval (2025)
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811 – Surrey v Somerset, The Oval (1899)