Louis Kimber

{{Short description|English cricketer (born 1997)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Louis Kimber

| image =

| country =

| fullname = Louis Philip James Kimber

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm off break

| role =

| family = Nick Kimber (brother)

| club1 = Loughborough MCCU

| year1 = 2019

| club2 = Leicestershire

| year2 = {{nowrap|2021–present}}

| clubnumber2 = 17

| club3 = Birmingham Phoenix

| year3 = 2024

| type1 = FC

| debutdate1 = 26 March

| debutyear1 = 2019

| debutfor1 = Loughborough MCCU

| debutagainst1 = Leicestershire

| type2 = LA

| debutdate2 = 22 July

| debutyear2 = 2021

| debutfor2 = Leicestershire

| debutagainst2 = Derbyshire

| columns = 3

| column1 = FC

| matches1 = 38

| runs1 = 1,526

| bat avg1 = 26.31

| 100s/50s1 = 2/8

| top score1 = 243

| deliveries1 = 974

| wickets1 = 8

| bowl avg1 = 83.50

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/8

| catches/stumpings1 = 30/–

| column2 = LA

| matches2 = 31

| runs2 = 833

| bat avg2 = 34.70

| 100s/50s2 = 1/6

| top score2 = 102

| deliveries2 = 245

| wickets2 = 9

| bowl avg2 = 27.33

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 4/61

| catches/stumpings2 = 11/–

| column3 = T20

| matches3 = 45

| runs3 = 714

| bat avg3 = 21.00

| 100s/50s3 = 0/5

| top score3 = 59*

| deliveries3 = 126

| wickets3 = 4

| bowl avg3 = 47.50

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 2/14

| catches/stumpings3 = 23/–

| date = 21 June 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/868843.html Cricinfo

}}

Louis Philip James Kimber (born 24 February 1997) is an English cricketer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/868843.html |title=Louis Kimber |access-date=26 March 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his first-class debut on 26 March 2019, for Loughborough MCCU against Leicestershire, as part of the Marylebone Cricket Club University fixtures.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1167344.html |title=4th Match, Marylebone Cricket Club University Matches at Leicester, Mar 26-28 2019 |accessdate=26 March 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} Prior to his first-class debut, he scored 162 not out from 55 balls in a twenty over match for Lincolnshire against Northumberland in May 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/batsman-smashes-stunning-century-lincolnshire-1546168 |title=Batsman smashes stunning century as Lincolnshire make mixed start to T20 campaign |work=Lincolnshire Live |accessdate=26 March 2019}} He made his Twenty20 debut on 13 June 2021, for Leicestershire in the 2021 T20 Blast.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1250122/game/1250258 |title=North Group, Leicester, Jun 13 2021, Vitality Blast |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=13 June 2021}} He made his List A debut on 22 July 2021, for Leicestershire in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1250162.html |title=Leicester, Jul 22 2021, Royal London One-Day Cup |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 July 2021}}

Kimber came to wide attention for his County Championship innings for Leicestershire against Sussex on 26 June 2024. Coming in at 144 for six with Leicestershire chasing 464 on the final day, Kimber scored 243 from only 127 balls. His innings featured the fastest double-century (100 balls) and most sixes (21) ever in the County Championship. He also hit Ollie Robinson for the most expensive over in first class cricket history{{efn|More expensive overs have been conceded, but aren't counted as records because the bowler was trying to give away runs to contrive an unlikely result. See Wikipedia's list of first-class cricket records: most runs in an over for further details. Robinson, an international bowler, was in this case earnestly trying to get Kimber out.}}: Kimber scored 37 runs from six legal deliveries and three no balls – the total cost of the over including the extras was 43. Kimber was the last Leicestershire batter dismissed, having taken Leicestershire to within only 18 runs of a victory that had earlier seemed impossible.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c4nng85x104o|title=England bowler Robinson hit for 43 in historic over|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=26 June 2024}}