Yorkshire CCC’s record-breaking Finlay Bean one to watch as he makes most of second chance at Headingley – Chris Waters

This magnificent feat – mine not his – occurred at the Lady Bay sports ground in Nottingham during a midweek match for the Nottingham Evening Post team about 1,000 years ago, the ball darting – or did it dribble? – to the far-distant rope.

Now Finlay Bean, the Yorkshire left-hander, has cause to remember that ground for a record every bit as remarkable as that of my 10-0 opponent - actually, more so given the upgrade in standard.

For over the course of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week, Bean, 20, wrote his name into the record books with an innings of 441 for the Yorkshire second team against Nottinghamshire, the first quadruple century in the county’s history and the highest score ever achieved in the Second XI Championship.

Perhaps, like me, you watched the live stream of the game online as Bean closed in on the 400 figure; certainly, one doubts that the Lady Bay venue, a stone’s throw or two from Trent Bridge, has ever been the subject of quite as much wider interest at it was in the run-up to lunch on the game’s final day.

The fixed camera was a little shaky, but, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, one was able to observe the historic innings as ‘fantastic Finlay’ did his stuff.

Gratifyingly, when he cover-drove the medium-pace of Samuel King to the boundary to reach his 400, there were no histrionics from Bean, just a very reserved glove punch and ‘man-hug’, shall we say, with his batting partner Tom Loten and an almost bashful acknowledgement of an incredible feat.

Perhaps Bean was too worn out to go jumping around and punching the air like Kevin Pietersen on steroids; after all, his innings spanned eight minutes short of 12 hours.

But he looked a fine player, strong and stylish, with brute force mingling with graceful strokes too.

Born in Harrogate, and a product of York Cricket Club, Bean came up through the Yorkshire age groups before reaching Academy and second team standard, and this is his second bite at the cherry, as it were, having left Yorkshire a couple of years back.

He is not under contract at the club at present but one imagines that this might change; clearly, having gone away and produced some impressive performances for York over the last two seasons, Bean has a bit about him as a character having taken that chance as well as he has.

For the record, his innings beat the previous Second XI Championship high achieved by a certain Marcus Trescothick, who scored 322 for Somerset against Warwickshire at Taunton in 1997 – an innings that almost inspired an incredible victory as Somerset, set 612 to win, were bowled out for 605.

Years later, Trescothick recalled that innings as one which proved a catalyst for the tremendous county and international career that followed. Hopefully the same thing will apply to Bean.

Bean’s innings also beat Richard Blakey’s Yorkshire second team record of 273 not out against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road in 1986.

The young man reached his century from 135 balls, his double from 276, his triple from 390 and his quadruple from 495. He was well on the way to a quintuple hundred when he was bowled by Calvin Harrison as he stepped back to try to make room to hit the leg-spinner through the off-side.

Bean has previous when it comes to big scores; in 2018, he struck 213 for Yorkshire U17s against Derbyshire at Weetwood, fashioned from 279 balls with 30 fours and a six.

Another who scored a century in that match was Harry Duke, now the Yorkshire first-team wicketkeeper, and Duke also made a century in last week’s game at Lady Bay, contributing 108 to a total of 814-7 declared.

James Wharton, the captain, was another century-maker with 126 in a high-scoring fixture that finished as a draw.

Bean will not forget the Lady Bay sports ground in a hurry, and nor should he.

Finlay Bean, ladies and gentlemen.

A name to look out for.