Broadcaster to discuss mystery surrounding world’s most expensive cricket ball
Broadcaster Grahame Lloyd will give a talk at Topcroft Cricket Club about what happened to the cricket ball hit for six sixes in an over by West Indies captain Garry Sobers. Picture: Getty Images - Credit: Getty Images
A broadcaster is set to give his take on what happened to the very first cricket ball to be smashed for six sixes in a single over.
Malcolm Nash was smashed for six sixes in an over by Garry Sobers in 1968 - but what happened to the ball? Picture: Getty Images - Credit: Popperfoto/Getty Images
When Garry Sobers despatched Malcolm Nash for an historic 36 runs off six deliveries in 1968, it would go down in history as one of sport’s most iconic moments.
Cricket’s Everest had finally been conquered.
In 2006, the ball supposedly used during the match fetched a record £26,400 at a Christie’s auction house, accompanied by a certificate of provenance with the all-rounder’s signature.
Nash, however, insisted the Duke ball sold at auction wasn’t the one bowled. Instead he argued the ball he had bowled 38 years prior was manufactured by Surridge, prompting broadcaster Grahame Lloyd to launch an investigation into the mysterious sequence of events leading to the sale.
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As part of an ongoing campaign to get Christie’s to admit their alleged error, Mr Lloyd will tomorrow (March 28) give a talk at Topcroft Cricket Club and divulge one of the sport’s most fascinating tales.
“I have no doubt that ball sold in auction wasn’t genuine,” said Mr Lloyd, who appeared on Test Match Special last summer to explain why the Duke was a wrong ‘un.
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“All I would like is for Christie’s to admit they made a mistake.”
Having appealed for Christie’s to re-investigate the ball’s sale, Mr Lloyd spent last year touring literary festivals and cricket clubs across the nation with a talk entitled ‘Fifty Not Out: The Six Sixes Revisited’.
During the event at Topcroft, starting from 7.30pm, he will again recall the bizarre tale of the ‘wrong’ ball using meticulously collected evidence, poetry and song.
“One of the reasons I’m carrying on doing this is because I’ve had such a fantastic response from audiences and reviewers,” added Mr Lloyd, whose book - ‘Howzat? The Six Sixes Ball Mystery’ - was published in 2013.
“I am hopeful that this matter can be resolved as soon as possible.”
Tickets for the event, priced at £7.50 for adults and £4.50 for concessions, can be bought by emailing helen.brownlee@outlook.com.
