Batsman’s six sixes in last over wins big final by a whisker 

John Glass (21) was at the crease, his team-mates resigned to defeat — but, incredibly, an amazing six sixes saw them home.

According to Cricket bible Wisden, only nine times in the entire history of the game has a batsman hit six sixes off an over.

West Indian legend Sir Garfield Sobers famously became the first man to do it, on August 31, 1968. Others joined the exclusive club with the surge in popularity of limited overs cricket.

A maths and finance student in his final year at Queen’s University, John knew the sums when he faced up to the first ball of the final over at Cregagh Memorial Park in east Belfast. At 113-7, Ballymena had faltered chasing a total of 147-7

“I still can’t believe that happened,” said John, who was stand-in captain on the night, as skipper Jack Gibson was on holiday in Donegal.

“I’d been hitting the ball okay up to then, nothing special. But at the start of the final over I just thought I’d give it a lash and see where it went.

“I hit the first four of them so well — all to the same place over square leg — and it was only then that I thought I might actually have a chance of pulling it off.”

The fifth ball cleared the ropes too, and as he stood facing the final delivery John was shaking so much he was struggling to hold the bat.

He explained: “I just got myself in the zone. I thought it’s not a long boundary, 60 yards. I know I can hit it there again. Three of the balls had been lost over the roof of a warehouse.

“That final ball went a lot higher. That’s when you just watch and hope it has enough on it to get over the boundary.”

“I’m not sure what happened after that. The team ran on, it was an amazing feeling,” he added.

The rest of the Glass cricketing clan have a lot to live up to now.

John’s grandad has been a long-time volunteer at Ballymena, and his father Michael still plays on the team along with two brothers and a cousin.

Indeed, John’s brother Sam looked like taking the man of the match honours for the losing side after a hat-trick of wickets during the Cregagh innings.

“If it hadn’t been for his bowling, I’d never have been in a position to do that in the final over,” said a gracious John.

“I had to apologise to him for stealing the limelight.”

There were apologies, too, for Adam Beattie, the unfortunate bowler on the end of John’s final six-ball barrage.

“To be fair, Cregagh took it well,” said John, who has always harboured ambitions of making the grade professionally since picking up a bat as an eight-year-old and later captaining his school team at Ballymena Academy.

“Last night is something you dream of, but I want more,” he admitted. “I’d love to play at a higher level if the chance arrives, but I’ll finish my degree first and see what happens.

“In the meantime, seeing people like Gary Lineker mention me on Twitter will do!”