McCullum blasts into record books

Brendon McCullum scored 158 not out, the highest total in English Twenty20 history, as Birmingham Bears crushed Derbyshire in the domestic T20 competition overnight.

New Zealand captain McCullum clubbed 13 fours and 11 sixes in a thrilling 64-ball knock at Edgbaston, to lead the North Division leaders to 242 for two.Image Id: ~/media/19B65988310A42729E3E86C0872A9A95

It took the 33-year-old just 42 balls to reach three figures after Derbyshire won the toss and chose to field in what would prove a disastrous decision for the away side.

McCullum also scored an unbeaten 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders on the first day of the Indian Premier League in 2008, with his twin tons occupying joint second place on the all-time T20 list behind Chris Gayle's 175 not out.Image Id: ~/media/BC50A6857F794DA88B7037D725F5B9E8

In reply, McCullum’s countryman Hamish Rutherford looked up to the challenge, striking four boundaries and three sixes on his way to 39 – only to be bowled by medium-quick Ateeq Javid.

Derbyshire managed  just 182 all out for a 60-run defeat, with Josh Poysden picking up four wickets.

Speaking after the match, Warwickshire director of cricket Dougie Brown told England Cricket the McCullum innings was "brutal, it was measured and it was world-class".

"It was everything we knew we were getting when we signed him for seven games [for the Bears]. He is a world-class player.

"It was a brilliant innings but everything about him is impressive. The way he has straight away become part of the team and the club. He is a class act, on and off the field, you could see that the way he was signing all those autographs (after play).

"He is just a very impressive bloke. Expectation can be a horrible thing but here is a guy who can deal with that whether he is leading his country in a World Cup campaign that changed people's ideas about the way the game is played or coming here and playing for us."Image Id: ~/media/C1408FE9F4D54A7DA1B005FA22DE07CB

McCullum now has two 150-plus scores to his name in T20 cricket, while Australia’s short-form captain Aaron Finch holds the mark for the top international tally of 156 against England in 2013.

Highest individual T20 scores

Chris Gayle: 175*, Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors India, Bangalore, April 2013

B McCullum: 158*, Warwickshire v Derbyshire, Birmingham, July 2015

B McCullum: 158*, Kolkata Knight Riders, Bangalore, April 2008

Aaron Finch: 156, Australia v England, Southampton, Aug 2013

Luke Wright: 153*, Sussex v Essex, Chelmsford, Jul 2014

Graham Napier: 152*, Essex v Sussex, Chelmsford, June 2008

Chris Gayle: 151*, Somerset v Kent, Taunton, May 2015