Northeast became one of just 10 players in the game's history to make a first-class score in excess of 400
Glamorgan head coach Matt Maynard described Sam Northeast's record-breaking innings as "incredible" and "a remarkable feat" after he became just the tenth man to pass 400 in a first-class innings.
The former Hampshire batter, who has leapfrogged more than 20 players to become the leading run-scorer in this season's LV= Insurance County Championship, was unbeaten on 410 when his side opted to declare to set up a staggering final-day victory charge against Leicestershire.
"The original plan had been to bat on after lunch," Maynard told the ECB Reporters Network. "But we just scored so quickly that we had the 210-lead at lunch that we thought would take us until 20 minutes or so afterwards. But we had a discussion among the coaches and the senior players to look at what our options were and the feeling was that we probably had enough.
"I thought it was perhaps a one in 30 chance of winning but that over when Michael Hogan got two wickets in one over, including Colin Ackermann, and then when Michael Neser came in and got those two lbws, then you thought, we've got a chance here."
On a pitch where more than 1,300 runs had been scored for the loss of just 15 wickets, Australian seamers Neser and Hogan forced the home team to subside in just 59.4 overs, with Neser bowling Chris Wright to complete an astounding win.
Michael Neser ensured Northeast's runs came in a winning cause (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
On Northeast, Maynard added: "It was a remarkable feat and he batted selflessly as well, when we needed to up the scoring rate. A lot of things go into a score like that. You have to maintain a high level of concentration, but he never seemed to deviate from his plans until right at the end, when he started to be more aggressive.
"I don't think anyone here will have witnessed a better innings. The way he went from 200 to 300 on Friday, it was as if there were no fielders. Every attacking shot he played went for four.
"I've seen some good players, I've batted with some good players, but to see someone maintain that level for so long was just incredible."
Maynard was Glamorgan's captain when Steve James made 309 not out at Colwyn Bay against Sussex in 2000, before declaring to set up an innings victory. Northeast passed James' mark to take the highest-ever score by a Glamorgan player before moving to within 100 runs of Brian Lara's all-time first-class record.
Paul Nixon, Maynard's opposite number, described being on the wrong end of the result as an example of "big boys' cricket". Northeast was dropped on 96, and Leicestershire's loss featured the highest score in first-class history in an innings defeat.
"It is hard to take after scoring 584 in the first innings," he said. "It hurts. It is disappointing after we played well in the T20 and played well at Sussex last week.
"Credit to Glamorgan, they bowled beautifully. Neser, I thought, was absolutely outstanding, Hogan too. Their desire and passion – they wanted that game. They were the two that helped them believe."
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