A. E. J. Collins

Arthur Edward Jeune \”James\” Collins was an English cricketer and soldier. As a 13-year-old schoolboy, he scored 628 not out over four afternoons in June 1899. Despite this achievement, Collins never played first-class cricket. Collins joined the British Army in 1902 and studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He served in France during the First World War, where he was killed in action in 1914 at the First Battle of Ypres.

About A. E. J. Collins in brief

Summary A. E. J. CollinsArthur Edward Jeune \”James\” Collins was an English cricketer and soldier. As a 13-year-old schoolboy, he scored 628 not out over four afternoons in June 1899. Despite this achievement, Collins never played first-class cricket. Collins joined the British Army in 1902 and studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, before becoming an officer in the Royal Engineers. He served in France during the First World War, where he was killed in action in 1914 at the First Battle of Ypres. Collins was remembered by contemporaries as one who led by example, rather than by inspiration, although paradoxically he was regarded as likely to fall short of the highest standards as a cricketers because of his recklessness at the crease. He was a reserved boy, short and stockily built, fair-haired and pale. His record-making innings drew a large crowd and increasing media interest; spectators at the Old Cliftonian match being played nearby were drawn away to watch the junior school house cricket match in which Collins was playing. The score stood as the record score till January 2016 when an Indian boy, Pranav Dhanawade, scored 1009 in a single innings.

The match was played on an outfield off Guthrie Road, Bristol, now named Collins Piece. The ground had both a poor surface and a very unusual shape: it was very short long), with a wall only 70 yards away forming the boundary on one side, while the other side was a gentle slope falling away towards the school sanatorium in the distance. The pitch occupied the central 22 yards of the narrow field, with the boundary only 17 yards behind each set of stumps. It was reported as a world record when Andrew Stoddart’s world-record score of 485 was reported on 8 June 1999, when he passed Andrew St Oddart’s record of 484. The record for the highest ever recorded cricket score of 628 is now held by Australian batsman Ian Botham, who scored 629 not out in June 1999. The feat took place during a junior schoolHouse cricket match between Clarke’s House and North Town House. The game was held on Thursday, 22 June, to take advantage of two half-day holidays while the college team played their annual match.