On this day in 1896: KS Ranjitsinhji scores two first-class hundreds on the same day
KS Ranjitsinhji is one of the best cricketers to have played the game during the British Raj. A passionate player during the pre-Independence era, Ranji made his first-class debut for Sussex at Lord’s in 1895. He rose to stardom in 1898 when he was handed over the captaincy reins of Sussex whom he went on to lead till 1903 before returning to his home country India.
Meanwhile, it was on this very day in 1896 that KS Ranjitsinhji achieved the unique feat of having registered two FC centuries on the very same day.
When KS Ranjitsinhji made history
Ranji was in the prime of his life as he scored consistent centuries. He showed no signs of slowing down scoring an unbeaten 100 against Nottinghamshire and 165 against Lancashire at Hove. Sussex faced Yorkshire at the very same venue immediately after the Lancashire fixture.
Yorkshire scored 407 in the first two days and when it was Sussex’s turn to bat, Ranji took matters into his own hands by taking the attack to the opposition bowlers. They were 23/2 and on the third day Ranji counter-attacked despite losing partners at the other end. He along with Billy Newham added 132 runs for the fourth wicket.
Unfortunately, after Ranji’s dismissal for 100, Sussex were bundled out for just 191 and with Yorkshire having a massive lead of 216 runs, a follow-on was imposed.
Unlike the first innings, the Sussex openers batted well and added 61 runs for the opening stand. Nonetheless, once Ranji came out to bat, he showed a more attacking intent as compared to the previous innings and the Yorkshire bowlers had no answers to that onslaught.
The onslaught helped Sussex in avoiding an innings defeat and he went on to register his second century on the day. Meanwhile, Ranji also became the third Sussex batter to score two hundreds in the same game. Apart from that, he also got the top honor of becoming the first cricketer to score two tons in one day in an FC match.
Ranji remained unbeaten on 125 and Sussex finished at 260/2 before the play was eventually called off. Despite Ranji being in the form of his life, it was Yorkshire that went on to win that season’s Championship. Nonetheless, Ranji finished as the top run-getter of that season amassing 1698 runs at 58.55, including six centuries.
