McMillan smashes record with 26 from over

On the fourth day of the Third Test between New Zealand and Pakistan, WestpacTrust Park in Hamilton saw a sensational outburst of hitting from New Zealand number four Craig McMillan, breaking several long standing records, including most runs from an over in Test cricket. New Zealand were increasing their scoring rate looking for a declaration when Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq brought on occasional leg-spinner Younis Khan. CricInfo's commentator, Duane Pettet described the over as follows.

110.1 Younis Khan to McMillan, FOUR, goodness! McMillan immediately reels out a reverse paddle, moving right outside leg stump to scoop away a shortish ball down through vacant gully, to the empty third man boundary

110.2 Younis Khan to McMillan, FOUR, good lord! He does it again, but this time it's a reverse pull through the vacant covers! McMillan laughs his head off, the king of innovation in New Zealand, gimme runs being stolen now with field spread all around the place

110.3 Younis Khan to McMillan, FOUR, three fours in a row! This time it's a conventional pull, through backward square leg, bisecting the two men in the deep

110.4 Younis Khan to McMillan, FOUR, four in a row! Incredible stuff, another reverse pull, this one in the air over backward point, wide of the short third man fielder

110.5 Younis Khan to McMillan, SIX, wowee! Down the track to a flighted ball outside off stump, smashes it a country mile over long off, that's a massive hit, out of the ground and into the car park! 22 runs off the over with a ball to go! A few people race out of the ground to chase after the ball, and one of the ground workers is successful, finding it not far short of the street, flinging it back out to the middle

110.6 Younis Khan to McMillan, FOUR, brilliant! Younis tries a semi-bouncer, sits up high, quicker outside off stump, smashing it down through point, bisecting two men in the deep with perfection, 26 off the over!

After Stephen Fleming took a single off the first ball of the next over, McMillan hit his seventh consecutive boundary as follows:

111.2 Saqlain Mushtaq to McMillan, SIX, down the track, turns it into a full toss, lofting it hard and high over deep midwicket, out of the ground again! That one is almost into the street running directly alongside the ground this time. McMillan into the 90s, 32 runs from his last 7 balls!

In all McMillan finished his innings, after bringing up his fifty with a four, as follows:

0 2 4 4 1 4 4 4 4 6 4 6 0 0 1 4

McMillan reached his fifty two balls after Fleming, but outscored his batting partner by 48 to one thereafter, travelling from 50 to 98 in the space of 16 deliveries, and then:

112.2 Fazl-e-Akbar to McMillan, OUT: McMillan goes for another, almost bringing up his century, but it sails high down to Waqar balancing on the third man boundary, leaping up to take it just inside the line, fantastic catch to get him out for two shy of his ton

at which point New Zealand skipper Fleming declared.

McMillan broke or equalled at least three records in the course of this innings.

By hitting seven consecutive boundaries he beat the previous record of five, jointly held by:

Denis Lindsay of South Africa (off John Gleason, v Australia at Port Elizabeth in 1969/70),
Rodney Redmond of New Zealand (off Majid Khan, v Pakistan at Auckland in 1972/73),
David Hookes of Australia (off Tony Greig, v England at Melbourne in 1976/77),
Mohammad Azharuddin of India (off Lance Klusener, v South Africa at Calcutta in 1996/97).

By hitting six boundaries off the over he equalled the feat of Sandeep Patil who hit Bob Willis for six fours for India against England in 1982. Patil, however had the luxury of a 7th ball due to the third ball of the over being called a no-ball, his sequence being: 4 4 4 0 4 4 4.

26 runs from an over is a new record, beating the previous record of 25 (6 6 0 6 1 6 0 0), set by New Zealanders Bert Sutcliffe and Bob Blair in their famous partnership, from an eight-ball over bowled by South African Hugh Tayfield in Johannesburg in 1953-54.

The six-ball over record of 24 was held jointly by Patil (see above) and:

Andy Roberts (4 6 2 6 6 0 off Ian Botham, v England at Port of Spain in 1980/81),
Ian Botham (4 6 4 6 0 4 off Derek Stirling, v New Zealand at The Oval in 1986),
Ian Smith (2 4 4 2 6 6 off Atul Wassan, v India at Auckland in 1989/90),
Kapil Dev (0 0 6 6 6 6 off Eddie Hemmings, v England at Lord's in 1990).