Kimberley: Many have tried, including a former South Africa captain, but it has taken a monumental effort from Martin van Jaarsveld to finally surmount the most challenging target among the Northerns records - the highest individual innings by a batsman.

Known as ``Van Jarre'' to his Northerns teammates the tall, elegant 25-year-old eclipsed Peter Corbett?s long-standing record of 237 with an unbeaten 238 and helped the Titans surpass a couple of statistical first-class milestones as they took control of their SuperSport Series Pool A game against Griqualand West at the Kimberley Country Club yesterday.

Among the rewrite efforts included the highest total by Northerns at A Section level  562 for seven, while Griquas were reduced to 172 for eight with the follow-on looming today and 413 runs behind at stumps last night.

Although Northerns led the bonus points race eight to one the way Griquas are placed on the log they are likely to be eliminated along with lowly Easterns.

This means the bonus points accrued against either side cannot be carried over to the Super Eight when it starts next month.

Titans coach Peter Kirsten, however, is quite happy with the overall performance and feels it is a good pointer to next weekend?s game against Eastern Province in Port Elizabeth.

``We came here to ensure that we qualify for the next phases and we are well placed to do that,'' Kirsten said last night. ``If we set a few records doing it then so much the better. I am very proud of my boys and the rest of those at home should feel the same.''

Steve Elworthy joined in the fun when he collected four wickets as Rushdie Majiet and the national selectors were given a taste of the batting and bowling firepower of the side coached by Kirsten.

There was much grumbling under the breath yesterday as Northerns batted on well into the second session and the Titans being accused of being ``more interested in breaking records than winning matches''. Criticism was muted at stumps, however, as Griquas Diamonds lost their polish when their bowlers were slapped around in an eighth wicket broken partnership of 61 between Van Jaarsveld and Mpho Pedi which saw Northerns offer a serious challenge to Pool A log-leaders Gauteng.

Van Jaarsveld, who began the day on 143, watched as Gerald Dros and Johan Myburgh depart in the same over and must have wondered whether the coach?s hopes for a 500 plus total would be realised on a pitch still full of runs.

Although the ball was starting to go through low Van Jaarsveld applied those batting clichés of application, dedication and concentration to remind Kepler Wessels, now a national selector how to apply a touch of his own batting creed.

``I did not think at all about the record until well after lunch,'' he said. ``The aim was to get a big total and put runs on the board. I felt in great touch throughout and made the most of this opportunity.''

The Corbett score of 237, made for was then North-Eastern Transvaal against Transvaal B at the Wanderers in the 1962/63 summer, has withstood challenges from such notables as Trevor Goddard (the former SA captain), Dennis Lindsay, Hylton Ackerman and more recently West Indies opener Clayton Lambert when he turned out for Northerns a few summers ago.

Goddard and Ackerman scored their double centuries in the same match at Newlands and their partnership of 294 in the 1966/67 season remains the fourth wicket record. The total of 552 for eight was against Free State at the Ramblers in Bloemfontein in 1955/56.

If Van Jaarsveld wanted to send a message to the selectors he had the perfect stage with a good batting surface and the ideal theatre, television coverage of the match. His strokeplay was as near flawless as you will find and there were times when he looked totally at ease as the Griquas captain, Pat Symcox, tried every ruse he could to force the untiring Van Jarre, who batted through four sessions in a superb display of mental strength, into throwing away his wicket.

With Elworthy supporting his batting cameo of 38 with a controlled display of swing bowling for his four wickets, Northerns turned the screws so much tighter and the 19 points Kirsten and the Northerns captain, Mark Davis, are not too far off.