Australia v West Indies 2022

Watch: Kyle Mayers hits greatest-ever cricket shot contender for 105m six

by Wisden Staff October 5, 2022 - 12:51pm 2 minute read

Watch: In the first Twenty20 International of the two-match series between Australia and West Indies, Kyle Mayers thwacked Cam Green for an outrageous 105-metre six over cover in Carrara.

Mayers hit an incredible shot for six off Green in the fourth over of the second T20I against Australia at the Carrara Oval. After Australia opted to field, Mayers began well, with two boundaries in the first over, off Mitchell Starc, and two more in the second, off Josh Hazlewood. Aaron Finch replaced Hazlewood with Green for the fourth over, which resulted in a curious cat-and-mouse battle.

Green bowled at pace, as far away as possible from Mayers as possible. The first ball hit the toe of Mayers’ bat, but the next two were wide enough for the umpire to signal. Green adjusted his line, bowling closer to the stumps to beat Mayers’ edge. The next ball was outside off stump.

By the time the ball had reached him, Mayers had cleared his front foot away from the line. There was little movement of the back foot, and Mayers held the bat in the follow-through, making old-timers re-live many a moment of glory in computer games of the first decade of the millennium. So well did he time the ball that it soared over extra-cover, flew 105 metres, and landed into the empty upper deck of the stands.

“I’m sure there has been a better shot in the history of the game, but I just can’t remember it!” wrote Adam Gilchrist on Twitter. Cricket writer Alex Bowden described it as “the most Brian Lara Cricket shot I’ve ever seen a human play”.

West Indies reached 53-2 by the powerplay, with Mayers on 33 from 24 balls. However, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, the Australian spinners, slowed down both Mayers and the West Indians. When Pat Cummins returned, Mayers went for a whirlwind slog and was bowled first ball for a 36-ball 39. West Indies soon became 122-8, and it took an end-innings slog from Odean Smith (27 in 17 balls) to help them reach 145-9.