Quantcast

Rogers joins exclusive batting club

Former Test opener becomes just the eighth Aussie to pass 25,000 first-class runs after scoring 48 for Somerset on Monday

Former Test opener Chris Rogers added yet another distinction to his cricketing career on Monday, racking up his 25,000th first-class run in Nottingham.

Rogers crossed the milestone during his innings of 48 for Somerset in their County Championship Division One clash against Nottinghamshire, ending his knock with 25,028 first-class runs to his name.

The 38-year-old, who is captaining Somerset in the four-day competition this English summer after retiring from international cricket last year, has been in decent form in his first season for the county club, having scored 568 runs at 37.86 so far this season.

Quick single: O'Keefe content as Lyon's understudy

However, Rogers still has some way to go if he wants to overtake Justin Langer's record for most first-class runs by an Australian, after the Western Australian amassed 28,382 throughout his career - particularly given he has indicated this will be his final county season after he quit Shield cricket last summer.

"You never say never, it depends how it goes but you can't play forever and hopefully other stuff will come up," Rogers told cricket.com.au earlier this year prior to heading to Taunton to begin his one-year contract with Somerset.

"Who knows, I might love it down in Somerset and it's quite nice because Devon was where I started as an 18-year-old which is south-west – the next county along – and all the people there were big Somerset supporters.

"So I've kind of done the full circle and it's nice to go back there and see some old friends."

Rogers' runs have come at an average of 49.46 and he joins an illustrious group of Aussies to have passed the 25,000 mark, alongside Don Bradman (28,067), Allan Border (27,131), Stuart Law (27,080), Mark Waugh (26,855), Darren Lehmann (25,795) and Michael Di Venuto (25,200).

Quick single: Sharp warnings lurk amid happy pickings

Greg Chappell (24,535 at 52.20), Ricky Ponting (24,150 at 55.90) and Steve Waugh (24,052 at 51.94) are among those to have fallen just shy of the mark.

In May, Rogers notched up his 300th first-class appearance for Somerset, having represented two Australian states and five counties since his debut during the 1998-99 summer.

In other England action overnight, Aaron Finch scored 86 as Surrey piled on 7-637 against Hampshire.

Finch's knock was part of a superb batting effort from Surrey, as captain Gareth Batty scored an unbeaten ton and Ben Foakes added 141 not out before the visitors declared on day two at the Ageas Bowl.