Ben Calitz has joined one of Irish cricket’s most exclusive clubs after clearing the ropes six times in a single over during Lisburn’s victory over Woodvale.

John Glass of Ballymena

Carl Robinson was the unfortunate bowler on the receiving end as Calitz launched six consecutive sixes, becoming the latest name on a short and colourful list of players to have achieved one of the game’s rarest feats in Irish cricket.

It is an achievement that instantly guarantees a place in local cricket folklore. Many batters dream of taking an over apart; very few manage perfection.

Back in June 2012, Dundrum’s overseas player-coach Raviraj Patil produced his own fireworks in an Ulster Shield match at Sion Mills, dispatching Andy Lucas for six sixes in an over. At the time, Patil became only the third player in recent memory to manage the feat.

One of the earliest known examples came in 1976 when Vic Craig, then a sprightly 59-year-old, did it for Burndennett against Kildoag, with Herbie Kennedy the bowler left counting the cost. 

If Craig holds the distinction of being the oldest to do it, Donemana’s Levi Dougherty is believed to be the youngest. He was just 15 when he launched six sixes in an over for Donemana Seconds against Bready, Marc Fleming the unlucky bowler.

Levi Dougherty

It almost became a family double too, with Levi’s older brother Ricky-Lee Dougherty having once gone close himself by smashing five sixes in an over.

The North West has also provided one of the most remarkable variations on the theme. Eglinton's Hendy Wallace famously hit Decker Curry for seven sixes in an over in a Ballykelly Midweek Cup game on Drummond’s front pitch, a no-ball also disappearing for six to make it an even more extraordinary assault.

There have been other brutal exhibitions of clean hitting. Glendermott’s Roy Silva struck six in an over on his way to a monumental 295 not out against Cliftonville in an Ulster Shield tie at The Rectory in 2014, with Davy Munn the unfortunate bowler.

Waringstown’s Ruan Pretorius also joined the list against Clontarf’s Conor D’Arcy in an Irish Senior Cup tie at Castle Avenue.

Perhaps the most dramatic of all came in 2021, when Ballymena’s John Glass faced the final over of the NCU T20 Trophy final against Cregagh with 35 needed. Six balls later, after six sixes, he had written himself into cricketing legend.

Now Calitz has his place beside them.

Roll of honour

1976 – Vic Craig, Burndennett v Kildoag, off Herbie Kennedy.
1995 - Hendy Wallace, Eglinton v Limavady, Ballykelly Midweek Cup, seven sixes in an over off Decker Curry.
2012 – Raviraj Patil, Dundrum v Sion Mills, off Andy Lucas.
2014 – Roy Silva, Glendermott v Cliftonville, off Davy Munn.
2015 - Ruan Pretorius, Waringstown v Clontarf, off Conor D’Arcy.
2018 - Levi Dougherty, Donemana Seconds v Bready, off Marc Fleming.
2021 – John Glass, Ballymena v Cregagh, off Adam Beattie in the final over of the NCU T20 Trophy final.
2026 – Ben Calitz, Lisburn v Woodvale, off Carl Robinson.