32-year-old Australian and Melbourne Stars batsman Hilton Cartwright stunned the cricket world on Saturday, January 4, with his absolutely colossal six.
Hilton Cartwright smashed a huge maximum from the performance of 30-year-old all-rounder Tom Rogers during the 23rd match of the Big Bash League (BBL) between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Star at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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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 well overall and managed to restrict the opposition to 168/7 in 20 overs.
Chasing the target, the Stars lost three quick wickets but Ben Duckett steadied the innings with a brilliant fifty, while Marcus Stoinis scored a brilliant 48 runs that kept the Melbourne Stars in the game.
After that, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright took charge and hit a terrific six and four to seal a 5 over victory with 10 runs required in the last over.
In the third ball of the 20th over, Tom Rogers tried to bowl a yorker outside off stump but the shade missed him. Cartwright stayed back and hit the ball full force for a big six.
The ball went straight to second over long, and even Cartwright was surprised to see the ball fly, making an “O” in his mouth. The crowd went wild after the kick and moments later it was revealed that Hilton Cartwright had smashed a 121m six.
See Hilton Cartwright’s 121 meters below
GREAT HILTON!
This is huge. A 121-metre six from Hilton Cartwright. #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/zCY6uNYyNB
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 4, 2025
Three times as many as I have closed – Ben Duckett for a six off Hilton Cartwright
Ben Duckett was named Man of the Match for his 67-ball 49 and, speaking after the match, he hailed Hilton Cartwright and Glenn Maxwell for the fireworks in the final innings that helped the Melbourne Stars to victory. He elaborated:
“It was tough at the start, I actually got stuck in and wanted to be there at the end. I didn’t go that way but thankfully they (Cartwright and Maxwell) came in. That’s our strength in depth. We know that. We always have that and Stoinis played beautifully, it took all the pressure off me.
Talking about Hilton Cartwright’s huge six, Ben Duckett said that the batsman has exceptional skills and he is trying to hit big maximums in the nets. He said:
“(In the last six at Cartwright and how big it was) Three times as many as I’ve bowled (smiles). Going in, we’re trying to hit fours and sixes on this wicket, exceptional skills and thankfully they’ve done it. In the nets, he (Cartwright?) has been hitting them for a long time and he’s so glad he came out today.”
Ben Duckett then spoke about his batting plans and said he is sticking to his strengths, adding that he is not looking at his stint in the BBL as practice for the Ashes in Australia. He said:
“Take the ego out, I can’t do some of the things the big boys do and try to do what I can. Luckily, I was able to pull off the sweeps. (At the Ashes in Australia) It’s a long way off. I’m trying to stay focused. About what’s in front of me (with the Stars’ playoff hopes) We’re good we’ve played cricket, it was the same tonight, but to win games like this is huge. If we keep going in competitions, keep that momentum going, we’ll keep believing.”
 2024-25 between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Star at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.){kind=link}