Who Hit the First Six in Cricket History? The Forgotten Blast
The Origins of the Six: Was It Even a Thing Back Then?
Cricket wasn’t always about big hits and fireworks. Back in the day (we’re talking mid-1800s), the game was slower, more tactical—proper gentleman's stuff. Sixes? Almost unheard of. And even when someone did whack the ball out of the ground, it didn’t always count as six. Wait, what? Yeah, that’s right.
In early cricket, to score a six, the ball had to clear the boundary on the full and land outside the ground. And not every ground was enclosed! So... sometimes you'd smash it clean out, and it'd still be just four. Crazy, huh?
The First Recorded Six: Joe Darling in 1898 (or... was it?)
Joe Darling’s Big Hit Down Under
Ask most cricket historians, and they’ll name Joe Darling, an Aussie left-hander, as the first to officially hit a six in Test cricket history. It was 1898, in Adelaide, against England. Darling clouted the ball over the long-on boundary and completely out of the ground. Boom. Six runs. Done.
But—and here’s the twist—there’s a chance he wasn’t really the first. Just the first in official record books.
Before Darling: The Unverified Legends
There are whispers about earlier players who might’ve done it before scoring rules were standardized. Some even suggest W.G. Grace might’ve done it in a village game in the 1870s. But no written proof. Just pub tales and cricket club banter.
So Joe gets the crown. But maybe it's like when someone "discovers" a song that already existed in the underground scene.
Sixes in the Early Days: Rare, Risky, and... a Bit Controversial
Why Didn't Players Hit More Sixes?
Two reasons, really:
Gear sucked — Bats were heavier, less springy. More like clubs than willows.
The ball was deadlier — With no helmets and proper body protection, going aerial was asking for trouble. Bowlers could bowl bouncers all day, and ducking wasn't always an option.
Also, the pitches were rougher than a pub car park on a Monday morning. So hitting clean was a skill only a few had.
When Sixes Became Sexy
Fast-forward to the 1970s. Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket changed everything. Colored kits, lights, aggressive batting... suddenly, sixes were cool. Today, of course, with T20s and The Hundred, it’s all about the big shots. If you're not hitting sixes, you're not selling tickets.
Funny how a shot that used to be rare is now expected.
Personal Moment: That One Time I Witnessed a “Village” Six
Gotta slip this in—years ago, in a tiny ground in Kent, I watched a bloke (local plumber, if memory serves) absolutely murder a slow ball. It sailed over the boundary, over the parked cars, and into someone’s backyard. Guy didn’t even celebrate, just nodded and walked back to his mark. It wasn’t Joe Darling, sure, but for a bunch of us with pints in hand, it might as well have been.
So… Who Really Hit the First Six?
Technically? Joe Darling, 1898, Adelaide.
Unofficially? Maybe W.G. Grace. Maybe someone else lost to time.
Philosophically? The first six was hit the moment someone thought, "Screw it, I’m going over the top."
And honestly, isn’t that the most cricket thing ever?
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
Well, fellas, worry no more, because a new study has revealed 5ft 8in is the ideal height for a man. Dating app Badoo has revealed the most right-swiped heights based on their users aged 18 to 30.
Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.