New Delhi:
In cricket, there have been four instances of a bowler being hit for six sixes in one over. Sir Garfield Sobers was the first one to achieve the feat, followed by Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh. Sobers, the former legendary West Indies all-rounder, was the first one to achieve the feat and the unlucky bowler was Malcolm Nash, whose name was forever associated with the feat. On Sunday, Nash, who took 993 first-class wickets in a 17-year career between 1966 and 1983, while also scoring 7,129 runs and holding 148 catches has died at the age of 74. Nash's name was forever linked with that of Sobers after the West Indies star went on the attack during a County Championship match between Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire at Swansea in 1968. It was the first time any batsman had hit six sixes in an over in first-class cricket. Sobers had been frustrated by his team's slow progress as Nottinghamshire were approaching a declaration and Nash was experimenting with slow bowling.
"Malcolm was a true Glamorgan legend whose exploits have gone down in club folklore. His name is connected with that of Garry Sobers... but he was a fantastic cricketer who was an integral part of the club's history and the side that lifted the County Championship in 1969," chief executive Hugh Morris told the club's website. Nash died in hospital in London after being taken ill at a function at Lord's Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
The over has been well-documented in cricket chronicles. Playing for Nottinghamshire, Sobers decided to up the ante and he decided to target Nash. The first ball was clobbered to wide long-on and the second was pulled to deep midwicket. The third ball was lofted straight down the ground while the fourth was pummelled over long leg for a fourth consecutive six. The fifth ball was lofted to long-off where the fielder took the catch but he crossed the ropes as anticipation reached fever pitch. Sobers created history when he dispatched the sixth ball out of the ground at deep square leg to become the first individual to create this feat.
Years later, during an interview in Vancouver, Sobers remarked about the feat. "It was unfortunate what happened to Malcolm. It was a world record and it put both of us on the world map. It does not matter whether it is right or wrong as it takes two to tango. Without Malcolm, I could not have been there and without me, Malcolm would not have been in the record. I had just gone to Notts for my first County season and I had a little wager with Leslie Ames wife. She had said what position do you think Notts would finish considering they have finished last in 16 consecutive years. I told her that I could help the team finish in the top four. She said, 'you are good but not that bloody good.'"
