Australia and Melbourne Stars batsman Hilton Cartwright, 32, stunned the cricketing world with his absolutely gigantic six on Saturday, January 4.
Hilton Cartwright smashed his mammoth delivery off 30-year-old Tom Rogers during the 23rd match of the 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Star at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Read also: Watch: Steve Smith lists his top 10 Test centuries as he approaches 10,000 runs
Hilton Cartwright leads Melbourne Stars to epic victory
Melbourne Stars won the toss and invited Melbourne Renegades to bat first. The Stars bowling unit did a good job overall and managed to restrict the opposition to 168/7 in 20 overs.
Chasing the target, Stars lost three quick wickets but Ben Duckett steadied the innings with a brilliant fifty while Marcus Stoinis scored a brilliant 48 which kept Melbourne Stars in the game.
After that, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright took charge and with 10 runs needed from the last over, the latter hit a monstrous six and a four to seal a 5-wicket victory.
On the third ball of the 20th over, Tom Rogers tried to bowl a yorker outside the off stump but missed by a shade. Cartwright stayed back and slammed the ball with full power for a huge six.
The ball went straight into second level over long-on and seeing the ball fly even Cartwright was surprised as he formed an 'O' in his mouth. The crowd went wild after the shot and it was revealed after a few minutes that Hilton Cartwright had smashed a 121m six.
Watch: Hilton Cartwright's 121-m six
HUGE HILTON!
That's huge. A 121-yard six by Hilton Cartwright. #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/zCY6uNYyNB
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 4, 2025
Three times as many as I logged – Ben Duckett on Hilton Cartwright's six
Ben Duckett was awarded Man of the Match for his 49-ball 67 and, speaking after the match, praised Hilton Cartwright and Glenn Maxwell for their late-on fireworks that helped the Melbourne Stars to victory. He elaborated:
“It was hard at the start, we got stuck and we wanted to be there at the end. We didn't go that way, but fortunately he got them (Cartwright and Maxwell) to come. This is the strength in depth that we have. We know we always have that and we wanted to take it deep. Stoinis played beautifully, he took all the pressure off me.
While talking about Hilton Cartwright's huge sixes, Ben Duckett said the batsman has exceptional skills and is practicing to hit huge maximums in the nets. He stated:
“(At Cartwright six in the last over and how big it was) Three times more than I connected (smiles). I went in, trying to hit fours and sixes on this wicket, exceptional skills and so grateful they could do it. In the nets, he (Cartwright?) hits them a lot and I'm glad he came out today.”
Ben Duckett spoke further about his batting plans and said he is maintaining his strengths and added that he is not looking at his BBL stint as training for the Ashes in Australia. He stated:
“It takes the ego out, I can't do some things the big boys do and I try to stick to what I can do. Fortunately, I could escape. (On the Ashes in Australia) It's far. I try to concentrate. on what's in front of me (Stars playoff hopes) I've played good cricket, I haven't done it up to par but winning games like this are so big in competitions If we keep going, keep this momentum going, we'll keep believing.”