The bat that South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs used to strike a record six sixes in one over during a World Cup fixture has been sold at an auction in Adelaide, Australia.
Gibbs welcomed the record at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, off the bowling of Netherlands spinner Daan van Bunge.
‘It was the first time a player hit six sixes in one over in an ODI game. It was a world first,’ ABC quoted auctioneer Marc du Plessis as saying.
‘It came with two shirts – it came with Gibbs’ shirt that he wore while he was batting.
‘Daan was the bowler and it came with his shirt as well. On that, it actually had the inscription, “They were only small sixes”, which I thought was brilliant.
‘Both of these items came with paperwork. The Gibbs one came with a letter from Herschelle himself.’
The shirts and bat were sold for about R300,000.
A bat used by Sir Donald Bradman was also auctioned. The bat struck a Test century against South Africa during the 1931-32 series with Australia. He later used it as a souvenir item – and it was displayed at the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 2008 to 2012.
‘He scored 112 runs for Australia against South Africa during the second Test in Sydney in the 1931-32 series. It was definitely one of his favourites,’ added Du Plessis.
‘Maybe he thought, “Cricket’s not going to be my life, I might get some autographs while I’m having fun out here”.
‘You’d think as the more important bats such as this one actually get snapped up by major museums, any which are in private hands do increase in value because the general public have less chance of actually owning one.’
Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
