Anyone and everyone who has played on Twickenham Green will know that on a warm day it can be a pretty unforgiving place for bowlers and fielders alike. The ball races across a lightening outfield and the track can be flatter than a space shuttle landing strip.

That having been said, the sight of Varad Rampal blasting 165 for the seconds against Osterley on Saturday was something to behold. The Osterley bowlers (and fielders) certainly tired, but Rampal just kept going on and on (and on and on). It was a truly fantastic knock.

The Highest Ever?
Varad’s efforts soon got the great and the good sitting on the pavilion veranda thinking. Is that the highest ever league score on the Green? Well, in modern times (defined as when reasonably reliable stats were kept via Play Cricket) the answer would appear to be ‘yes’. There have been bigger scores by Ts players away from Twickenham Green and indeed in friendly cricket, but nothing on that scale in league contests. Varad, take a bow.

Daddy Hundreds
The previous best was actually set only very recently – Don Manuwelge’s 138no against Teddington in 2016 (see here). And, Don also holds what’s now the fourth top score on the Green in Saturday league cricket; 131 against Richmond on 16 July 2016 (see here).

Pre-2016 the record was held by what I guess must count as one of the usual run-scoring suspects; Clint McCabe, who posted 134 not out against South Hampstead in 2009 (see here). The Horse enjoyed a decent opening stand of 136 in that game, too, if I remember rightly ...

You might well be wondering where Carlos Nunes fits in here. Well, he’s managed no less than 14 (!) centuries for the Ts in total, the highest of any player in modern times. His highest score on the Green (in the league) is 127 against North Middlesex back in 2012 (see here). That puts him 5th in the highest scorer list.

Finally, the sixth and final member of the top half dozen is a name that will be familiar to many of the older hands – Ben Parer. For those who don't remember him, Ben was a fiercely competitive Melburnian. Indeed, if ever there was a battle to be had, then rest assured Parer would be right in the thick of it. His 126 against Bessborough on 21 May 2011 (see here) sees him come in with the 6th highest league score on the Green.

Cup Cricket
If we include cup games, then the picture does change a little. Indeed, Carlos jumps up to second placed on the all-time list thanks to an imperious 149 (off 107 balls) against Weybridge in the first round of the National KO in May 2009 (see here). I was there. It was a decidedly decent knock, take it from me.

All league cricket
In terms of all league cricket that the Ts (i.e. all five sides) have played, well, the picture changes again and Varad loses his place at the top of the tree. That honour belongs to Grant Hughes, our Australian overseas player in 2008. The first game of that season’s league campaign was at neighbours Richmond. Hughes, now an academic at the University of Texas in the USA, opened the batting and basically went bonkers. He smashed 176 in 139 balls as the Ts got much the better of a winning draw against a Richmond side that included a certain Nick Compton (see here for the card).

Big scores in the lower sides
Varad actually slips to third place if all league cricket is included, with the number two slot being filled by Anurag Dayal. Given Raggy's distinct distaste for running between the wickets (or indeed running anywhere) his 171 against Brondesbury (in 2009 – see here) is likely to have included more than a few 4s and 6s.

Another club stalwart deserves a mention here as the only other person to have achieved a league score in excess of 150; the tin man himself, Mr Colin Blunden. 12 sixes and 8 fours helped Blunders to 157no back in August 2012 as the Ts played Ickenham (see here). A decent effort.

So, well done Varad, brilliant stuff. The challenge has been laid down now, can anyone use the continuing good weather to top the Punjabi Plunderer’s efforts? I look forward to finding out.