South Africa versus Netherlands, 7th Match, Group A, ICC World Cup 2007, 16th March
South Africa: 178/2 in 28 overs.
Herschelle Gibbs 32*(30) is on strike facing the right-arm leg-spinner Daan Van Bunge
Ball 1: Six
The first ball of the over by Bunge is slightly shorter in the length, pitched outside leg and is spinning towards the fleet-footed Herschelle Gibbs who jumps out to deposit the ball directly over mid-wicket.
South Africa: 184/2 in 28.1 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 38*(31)
Ball 2: Six
The bowler compensates for the poor line of the first ball, thus this time he bowls straighter, the same length pitching on the middle stump. Gibbs has the same response, leaps out and the ball finds itself up against the center of the sight-screen.
South Africa: 190/2 in 28.2 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 44*(32)
Ball 3: Six
Daan Van Bunge thinks. This ball, he alters his line to outside off stump, he bowls a bit fuller and increases the bowling speed as well. Makes absolutely no difference to Gibbs. He stands and drives the ball over mid-off boundary to complete the hat-trick of sixes and his fifty.
South Africa: 196/2 in 28.3 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 50*(33)
Ball 4: Six
The bowler is ragged. Next ball, Bunge dumps the length and in a bid to surprise the batsman darts the ball at full speed towards the body of the striker. The bald tormentor is equal to the task and deposits the full-toss directly over the deep square leg boundary.
South Africa: 202/2 in 28.4 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 56*(34)
Ball 5: Six
Bunge is tired and Gibbs at the other is toying with him nonchalantly. The penultimate ball is the worst. it’s short and it’s outside off-stump. The only earnest effort behind that ball is the speed with which it’s delivered – 115.7 kph. Without moving his feet, the maverick sends the ball soaring over the sightscreen. Bunge has seen a ghost.
South Africa: 208/2 in 28.5 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 62*(35)
Ball 6: SIX
The wretched bowler comes back to put his neck under the guillotine. Sensing the upcoming humiliation, he draws the last arrow in his quiver, a seam-up delivery. Unfortunately, the length is directly in the bat-swing of the predator. Gibbs rightly smashes it over deep mid-wicket. The man smiles for the first time.
South Africa: 214/2 in 29 overs. Herschelle Gibbs 68*(36)
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That day, Herschelle Gibbs became the first man in International Cricket to hit six sixes in an over. Six months later, India’s southpaw Yuvraj Singh made Stuart Broad suffer the same ordeal as he launched him six times over boundary in an over in the T20I World Cup.
South Africa that day scored 353/4 in 40 overs. Gibbs ended his innings on 72(40) much to the happiness of dutch bowlers. The Netherlands managed to hit only one six in their 132/9. Later, South Africa crashed out in the semi-final of the World Cup against Australia.
