South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs created World Cup history when he smashed six sixes in an over to put the Netherlands to the sword in their Group A match on Friday.
On a record-breaking day for the South Africans when they crushed the Dutch by 221 runs, Gibbs became the first player to pile up 36 runs in a one-day international over as he tormented leg spinner Daan van Bunge. After hammering Van Bunge back over his head four times and over the ropes on the on-side twice, he also became the third man ever to achieve the feat in major matches.
India’s Ravi Shastri and West Indian Garfield Sobers had achieved the record in first class cricket.
Gibbs’s heroics completely overshadowed the fastest half-century scored in the World Cup by Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis’s century as South Africa racked up 353 for three in a match reduced to 40 overs-a-side after overnight rain delayed the start of the match.
South Africa surged to their biggest one-day victory by restricting the Netherlands to a total of 132 for nine.
Kallis scored a measured 128 not out, Gibbs made a whirlwind 72, Graeme Smith added 67, and Boucher was 75 not out after reaching his half-century off a record 21 deliveries.
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