‘I got away a bit’: Daniel Ballard hits Delacombe Park record score

A Delacombe Park batsman has gone from “toiler” to destroyer, smashing a club record 218. And it took an injury for him to unleash.

Daniel Ballard after making 218, Delacombe Park Cricket Club's highest score.

As a batsman, Delacombe Park’s Daniel Ballard describes himself as “a bit of a toiler’’.

But on Saturday, the toiler turned destroyer as the 40-year-old father of two blasted 218 — a new club record score — in an MPCA A4 game against Mornington at Delacombe’s soccer oval.

After losing the toss and being sent in, Delacombe Park racked up 3-340 off 40 overs, with opener Ballard blasting 21 sixes and 15 fours, accelerating after tweaking his quadriceps when he was on about 40.

“I’m not really a big hitter as such but I got away a bit on the weekend,’’ he said on Monday.

“I’ve been practicing a bit and watching a bit of the IPL, and I’ve been practicing that over-cover slog shot. I’ve never played that before.’’

Daniel Ballard goes big for Delacombe Park.

Ballard was batting with his skipper Bill Mallinson when he felt something go in the top of his leg. It was the trigger to launch.

“I was on about 40 off about 20 overs when I tweaked my quadriceps,’’ he said.

“I was batting with the captain and I said, ‘I’ve got to go here, I can’t run any more’. And then just bang, bang, bang. It was the first time I’d played that shot and I hit a few good ones over cover. It was good.’’

Ballard eclipsed Delacombe Park’s previous record score, held by Lachlan McFarlane, by a run.

The scorebook of Daniel Ballard's double century.

But the man of the moment was quick to play down the achievement.

“It’s good. I have played a bit of ones and twos and that, so playing in the fourths…it’s like I’m not getting ahead of myself,’’ Ballard said.

“It was a good achievement but a bit of fun, really.’’

Ballard, who offered one chance, on about 190, said he nearly didn’t play because of ankle and groin niggles.

He even put himself through a backyard fitness test on Saturday morning.

“I chucked the pads on and was doing some threes in the backyard and I put Deep Heat on and I thought, yeah I’ll probably get through,’’ he said.

Ballard has played cricket since he was 12 but had six seasons off between 25 and 31 while he concentrated on his football career. He played in the VAFA for Prahran and was good enough to finish runner-up in a best and fairest in one season.