Cricket: Nayyar's record 17 hours at crease

AN INDIAN cricketer yesterday set a world record for the longest first-class innings when he batted for almost 17 hours in a domestic game.

Rajeev Nayyar, who was leading Himachal Pradesh against Jammu and Kashmir in a Ranji Trophy match at Chamba, stayed at the crease for 16 hours and 57 minutes in scoring 271. The 37-year-old's feat surpassed Hanif Mohammad's record of 16 hours and 10 minutes during his match-saving knock of 337 in a Test match for Pakistan against the West Indies at Barbados 41 years ago.

Nayyar has been a consistent run-scorer in Indian domestic cricket, scoring 4,550 runs, including 15 centuries, since making his first-class debut in 1986.