When did the six-hitting culture take off?

[jnaveen1980]

LOoking at the amazing ability of Pandya to hit gigantic sixes i wanted to check how six hitting culture evolved. A quick look at the stats, it roughly started in 1996 when Jayasuriya hit 30 sixes in a single calendar year followed by same Jaya hit 30 sixes in 1997. Sachin hit 40 sixes in 1998. Afridi at his peak in 2002 hit 48 sixes in a calendar year. In 2015 ABDV hit 58 sixes which is the highest for a calendar year by any batsman. It is only getting better and better. Pandya has hit 25 sixes in 2017 with Morgan 26 sixes. Evin Lewis is another beast that is evolving.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Started with Jayasuria and Lala.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Jayasuriya and Afridi changed the game in the 90s.

 

[boomboomcheema]

Didn't Viv also used to hit a lot of Sixes?

 

[badsha001]

Viv Richard and Imran khan used to hit big sixes...

 

[shane]

People like Afridi did it for years in fits and bursts which nobody really took seriously, but I think it was McCullum and his New Zealand team that showed the world it could be a winning formula in the long run too.

 

[Junaids]

Nothing to do with culture.

1. Huge bats
2. Shortened boundaries
3. Balls with ultra flat seams.

Most of these modern Fake Sixes would have been caught 20 metres inside the rope in the days of fair bowling conditions.

 

[Slog]

Viv Richard and Imran khan used to hit big sixes...

Imran could but didnt hit as often as he could have

Kapil used to be a great six hitter afaik

 

[Slog]

People like Afridi did it for years in fits and bursts which nobody really took seriously, but I think it was McCullum and his New Zealand team that showed the world it could be a winning formula in the long run too.

McCullum started as a result of the earlier six hitting culture set

He was a product not the initiator

 

[AlizeeFan]

Nothing to do with culture.

1. Huge bats
2. Shortened boundaries
3. Balls with ultra flat seams.

Most of these modern Fake Sixes would have been caught 20 metres inside the rope in the days of fair bowling conditions.

Is there anything to suggest that boundaries are shorter nowadays?

 

[Junaids]

Is there anything to suggest that boundaries are shorter nowadays?

Yes.

In England, Australia, NZ and South Africa, the boundary was always the fence.

At most grounds apart from Eden Park they have been shortened by at least five metres.

 

[Slog]

Is there anything to suggest that boundaries are shorter nowadays?

tbh that is def true

just watch matches of yesteryear and see where the ropes were back then and where they are today in the same stadiums

 

[AlizeeFan]

Yes.

In England, Australia, NZ and South Africa, the boundary was always the fence.

At most grounds apart from Eden Park they have been shortened by at least five metres.

I have seen ropes in form boundaries in matches of 80s. Stands and fence are at same place? What was the dimension of most of the boundaries earlier and now? Any references?

 

[Amjid Javed]

Nothing to do with culture.

1. Huge bats
2. Shortened boundaries
3. Balls with ultra flat seams.

Most of these modern Fake Sixes would have been caught 20 metres inside the rope in the days of fair bowling conditions.

Spot on points made, The ability to hit sixes now is done with out much effort as the game has been pushed to much in favor of batsmen in limited overs games especially.

 

[Bilal7]

Moeen hit some good ones in his latest century as well. The game has changed quite a lot since the last ODI World Cup.

 

[Cric1234]

Batsmen have always had the ability to hit sixes recently flatter wickets bigger bats shorter boundaries t20 becoming popular have increased it.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Nothing to do with culture.

1. Huge bats
2. Shortened boundaries
3. Balls with ultra flat seams.

Most of these modern Fake Sixes would have been caught 20 metres inside the rope in the days of fair bowling conditions.

Came here to say this.

More than culture, it is a combination of various factors in last decade or so.

(Also, Afridi is an outlier, nobody in history of game has had same approach to batting.)