Largest First innings Lead

 and NOT enforcing the follow-on!

Steven Mullaney raised a few eyebrows when he failed to enforce the follow-on in the last game of the season against Durham at Trent Bridge after the visitors were bowled out for 207 replying to Notts’ 662-5d. Notts had a lead of 455 after first innings and Mullaney’s declaration broke the County Championship record for highest first innings lead without enforcing the follow-on. 

The world record for first-class cricket stands at 591 which occurred in a 5-day Ranji Trophy contest at Eden Gardens, Kolkata played in March 2022. Jharkland registered 880 all out in their first innings and Nagaland responded with 289. In possibly one of the most monotonous games ever played Jharkland batted out the rest of the game to stand on 417-6 when stumps were drawn.

 There is only one game played in England where a bigger lead of 455 saw the follow-on not enforced. Once again, Notts were involved. The match was against Cambridge MCCU at Fenner’s on 5th-7th April 2016 when Chris Read declared the Notts first innings closed on 530-8. Cambridge replied with 52 all out. Notts eventually winning the game by a club record margin of 517 runs. MAG

Source: www.acscricket.com/Records/First_Class/Overall/Team/Large_Margin_No_Followon.html