Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Ross Whiteley.
On 23 July 2017, Whiteley achieved an accolade that had only been completed four times previously in the history of cricket – hitting six sixes in an over in a professional game.
The unfortunate bowler, Yorkshire’s Karl Carver, was taken for 37 off one over which included a wide as Whiteley smashed his left-arm spin to all parts of Headingley.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 💥<br><br>Watch Ross in his homecoming season smash it to all parts with Derbyshire Membership 🙌<br><br>Secure yours now ⤵️</p>— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) <a href=”https://twitter.com/DerbyshireCCC/status/1770426631116521611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>March 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Even after the destructive Whiteley struck 65 off 26 balls, including two more sixes, his Worcestershire Rapids side lost by 37 runs after a David Willey century for the hosts set an imposing and ultimately unreachable target.
As the left-hander entered the crease, Whiteley knew that right from ball one he had to find regular boundaries, with his side needing 129 off 57 balls.
After two sixes in his first 13 balls to leave him on 20, the 16th over of the innings came around.
It was a moment that will live long in the record books and for everyone who witnessed the remarkable ball-striking of Whiteley in Leeds that day.
The first ball was tossed up wide on the off-side, which Whiteley clubbed straight back over the bowler’s head for a gigantic six.
Carver’s second ball was met again with the full force of the powerful left-hander, as Whiteley managed to muscle the ball over midwicket boundary for another six runs.
At the halfway point in the over, the bowler dragged his length back in an attempt to prevent being hit for another boundary, but Whiteley was not going to miss out. In similar fashion to his first, the ball was hoisted back over long-off as Whiteley watched on with delight.
Carver’s fourth delivery went horribly wrong again, as the decision to switch to bowl around the wicket prompted a full toss that was pummelled over the leg side and had the bowler as expected, looking extremely dejected.
A wide off the next ball was inevitably followed by yet another massive blow from Whiteley, again back over from where it came.
As everyone in the ground anticipated the final ball, Whiteley delivered.
Arguably the worst ball Carver bowled all over, a half-tracker down the leg side, Whiteley completed the perfect over by smacking the ball over fine leg to complete his moment in history.
Watching at the non-striker’s end was his captain, Brett D’Oliveira, who ran down to his teammate to celebrate.
Ross has actually admitted that he did not realise what he had achieved until his skipper told him the good news, due to the over taking such a long time to complete. Even though his side lost on the day, Whiteley joined an elite group of players to have completed cricket’s most difficult milestone to achieve.
Derbyshire supporters know exactly what Whiteley will bring to the side after having been a part of success at the Club in the past. His exquisite ball-striking, ability to produce match-winning and incredible moments with bat and also in the field are something to look forward to with delight this coming season.
2024 Membership | We Are Derbyshire | Onward Together
For more than 150 years, Derbyshire County Cricket Club has embodied the pride, passion, determination, grit and against all odds mentality that our great county is built on.
Members are at the heart of the Club; this is your Derbyshire, backed by a rich heritage and a desire to bring success to our community.
With an exciting crop of new additions, players approaching their primes and an experienced core led by an internationally-renowned coaching team, we are striving for success in 2024 and beyond.
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