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It’s the stuff dreams are made off, hitting six 6s in an over. Recently it happened for a very promising Kiwi teen.
Glenn ‘Blaster’ Phillips, playing for the Marylebone Cricket Club against the Duke of Norfolk XI at Arundel, struck 36 off one over, on his way to a double century.
The 19-year-old finished with 201 not out off 123 balls, as the MCC scored 299 for five before declaring.
It was the first time anyone had ever hit six 6s in an over at the ground, which sits alongside Arundel Castle in West Sussex in the south of England, and has hosted cricket matches since 1895.
Phillips concedes getting into a hitting frenzy like he did was somewhat of a blur.
“I don’t remember the name of the bowler, but he used to play first class cricket as an off spinner. He is now retired and playing for the enjoyment of the game. He was an off spinner with a fair few tricks up his sleeve from his years of experience,” he said.
“I hadn’t faced him before other than about four overs earlier. Up until that over I couldn’t hit him to save myself, but when you’re given an over before you retire, something clicks and the ball just starts hitting the middle every time. I don’t recall him saying much other than ‘well played’. There were a few bemused laughs exchanged though.”
Phillips says the pitch was “very nice” for batting despite being on the “slow side.” The boundaries ranged in size from 60-70m and his most common area of hitting was between straight mid wicket and square leg.
Which six was his favourite and why?
“Probably the first one as it was the cleanest and the biggest of the lot. I didn’t have the idea of hitting every ball for six at that point so it was more a case of good timing. After the third one I decided to go for the six 6s and really just muscled the rest over the rope,” he says.
Phillips is no one hit wonder. His form leading into the innings was strong.
“At first I really struggled to adjust to English conditions. I found I wasn’t watching the ball closely enough. When I started watching the ball, things started to get better. I hit a patch of form leading up the 6 sixes innings. I scored a hundred for my club and three scores over 50,” Phillips explains.
Phillips was born in East London, South Africa and moved to New Zealand when he was five years old. His family relocated for personal reasons and it proved to be a wise decision as Phillips become one of the leading age group cricketers in the country at Sacred Heart College, Auckland.
He made the First XI in Year 9 and scored his debut century against St. Bede’s College a season later. His top score was 231 off 142 balls and he was the leading run-maker for the First XI for three consecutive seasons, the only person to ever achieve this feat at Sacred Heart. Phillips scored centuries in his last two matches for the College and subsequently earned selection for Auckland and the New Zealand U19’s. Phillips has already made a one-day century for Auckland.
This year Phillips is involved with the MCC young cricketers program, a program Martin Crowe and Ross Taylor were also a part of. Phillips explains how the chance arose to take part.
“New Zealand cricket have quite a strong relationship with the MCC and each year they send over one New Zealand player to play for the MCC at a second XI level of cricket. This year Bob Cater approached me and offered me the chance to play for the MCC and I of course said yes. It’s an amazing chance to learn and grow in an overseas environment both with cricket and with life.”
Phillips identifies his dad ex Black Caps Dipak Patel, Andre Adams and Bryan Young and Auckland coaches Nic White and Mark O’Donnell as his leading mentors.
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