Adam Lyth hits third highest T20 score of 161 in NatWest T20 Blast

London: Adam Lyth hit the third highest score in Twenty20 cricket on Thursday when he smashed 161 playing for Yorkshire against Northamptonshire in the English county tournament.

Lyth`s score was only 14 short of the world record held by Chris Gayle of the West Indies set in the Indian Premier League in 2013 and just one shy of the second best made by Hamilton Masakadza in the Zimbabwe domestic event in 2016.

Lyth hammered seven sixes and 20 fours in his 73-ball innings to surpass Brendon McCullum`s previous English county best of 158 not out in 2015.

Yorkshire ended on 260 for four -- just short of the world record made by Australia who piled up 263-3 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in September 2016.

"I`m really happy with that," Lyth told Sky Sports as he led his team to a resounding 124-run win.

There was also a record at Chelmsford as Kent claimed an 11-run win over Essex following a new world-best opening stand of 207 between Joe Denly (127) and Daniel Bell-Drummond (80 not out).