Chasing Jessop

The Mystery of England Cricket's Oldest Record

By: Simon Wilde

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Paperback | 4 June 2026

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19.6 x 12.9 x 2.3

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THE WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR

'A forensic tour de force' VIC MARKS

'Engrossing ... Illuminating detective work into the astonishing statistics of English cricket's most enduring record' ANDY ZALTZMAN

In 1902 at The Oval, Gilbert Jessop played arguably the greatest innings in the history of cricket. His whirlwind century led England from certain defeat to glorious victory, and set a speed record that still stands over 1,000 Test matches later.

Yet the exact circumstances of Jessop's feat have long been shrouded in mystery. The original scorebooks are missing and the famous claim that he faced 76 balls has rarely been scrutinised. In this riveting investigation, Simon Wilde draws on long-forgotten sources to uncover what really happened. Could Jessop, in fact, have reached his hundred even faster than we thought?

'A fascinating and definitive account of one of cricket's most fabled innings' JOHN ETHERIDGE

'A delight from start to finish' WISDEN CRICKET MONTHLY

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