Arend De Waal Gagiano runs riot as records tumble

Gagiano’s unbeaten 265 in Wednesbury’s win over Walsall YPF was the highest individual score in the Premier Division since records began and arrived on another pulsating weekend of action, which also saw leaders Pelsall set a record total score for the second time in four weeks.

The 426-6 they amassed at Springvale beat the total they accrued against Swindon last month by a single run and also included a double century, as Jake Lee continued his superb campaign by thrashing 210 from 141 balls.

Yet it was Gagiano who took the limelight with his brilliant solo effort helping Wednesbury reach 409-4 in 50 overs to set up a comfortable win.

The 26-year-old South African had previously struggled for consistency during his first summer playing in England but made up for any prior disappointments in emphatic fashion.

His mammoth knock was compiled from just 140 balls and beat the previous high score of 261 recorded by Cannock’s Anthony Sams in 2014.

Gagiano said: “It feels like it has been a long time coming. The whole season I have been feeling pretty good but things were just not quite there. I guess if you are going to score the runs, then score them big. Everything just clicked.”

To add a further element of mystique to an already surreal day, a scoreboard malfunction left Gagiano initially believing he had finished on a score of 256, before consultation with the scorecard eventually confirmed he was actually nine runs better.

Ranvir Singh hit 67 to finish as second-highest scorer, while skipper Sajid Nazir and Ashley Wright both claimed three wickets each as a shell-shocked Walsall were skittled for just 143.

Gagiano, meanwhile, revealed how he was initially met with ridicule when he called his parents in Pretoria to inform them of his feat.

“At first they thought I was joking and just having a laugh with them,” he said. “It was only when they saw the scorecard on the website later on that they thought ‘yep, ok, not too bad’.

“In all honesty it did take a while for it to sink in myself. When I was out there batting it was all pretty much a blur.

“I would say only by Sunday did I really start to believe it had actually happened.”

While Gagiano was putting Walsall to the sword, Lee was doing the same to Springvale and helping Pelsall stretch their lead at the top of the division to 38 points.

He combined with Todd Henderson for a third-wicket stand of 303, his double century featuring 22 fours and 11 sixes. Henderson himself would finish with 115 from 110 balls.

Opener Paul Baker then hit 113 as Springvale showed resistance before eventually being bowled out for 232 with two balls of their 50 overs to spare, Lee Buckingham claiming four wickets for the visitors.

“It was just unbelievable watching Jake and Todd bat,” said Pelsall skipper Danny Pennell.

“We lost a couple of early wickets and perhaps in previous years that would have been the signal for us to go into our shell a bit but there is a real confidence about us at the moment.

“Jake joined us over the winter from Aldridge. We always knew he was good but some of the shots he has been playing have been unbelievable.

“Todd meanwhile keeps on going from strength to strength and he is cementing his place as one of, if not the best Staffs Clubs players of all-time.”