Sales rewrites the record book

Sales rewrites the record book

London, May 13: David Sales earned himself several new entries in Northamptonshire's record book with his superb 276 off Nottinghamshire's battered attack in the English County Championship match at Northampton on Friday.

Skipper Matthew Hayden, the Australian Test player, weighed in with 101 - his 41st first-class century - as Northants piled up 585 all out.

Nottinghamshire's reply had reached 72 for two when rain ruled out any play after tea.

Sales was summoned to an England training camp last month after touring with the A side during the winter, is now pressing for a middle-order place against Zimbabwe and the West Indies this summer.

``It would be nice to get a call up, but, at the end of the day, I'm here to score runs for Northants and help get us promoted into Division One of the Championship,'' he said.

Sales's 375-ball knock was the fourth highest in Northamptonshire's history and a county best against Nottinghamshire, surpassing the late Fred Bakewell's 246 at Northampton in 1933.

Only Dennis Brookes, who achieved the feat six times, has exceeded Sales' tally of four innings in excess of 200 for the club.

Sales and Hayden posted 197 in 47 overs for the sixth wicket - also a club record against Notts - and the visitors launched their response just after lunch, needing 436 to avoid the follow on.

Openers Darren Bicknell and Usman Afzaal gave them a solid 69 run start, but Afzaal then edged to slip in left-arm spinner Michael Davies's first over, and, without addition to the total, Bicknell was taken low down at the wicket off seamer Richard Logan.