Max Pritchard’s heroics for Sanctuary Lakes put him in elite company

Max Pritchard etched his name into the history books on Tuesday night, smashing six sixes in a guest appearance for his junior club Sanctuary Lakes.

An umpire signals a six Picture: Duif du Toit

Sir Garfield Sobers, Herschelle Gibbs, Kieron Pollard … Max Pritchard.

Making a guest appearance for junior club Sanctuary Lakes, Pritchard joined some illustrious company by hitting six sixes in an over in Tuesday night’s VTCA T20 against Bellbridge.

It’s been a whirlwind few days for the young gun after making his VSDCA First XI debut for Yarraville on Saturday.

It all happened in a dramatic 20th over of the Sharks’ innings.

Pritchard, already on 34 with two boundaries and two sixes, gave unlucky Bellbridge bowler Troy Smith a record-breaking hiding.

Sanctuary Lakes coach James Doolan looked on in wonder from the sidelines.

“It was unreal,” he said.

“The first three hits were just clean, every single one of them was straight, and then on the last ball it looked like it might be caught by the bloke at mid-wicket but it got over his head by a metre.

“We brought him into the team to be a bowler, I said to the boys he can hit a bit so we’ll chuck him in the middle order and see what he can do, not expecting that.

“Even the opposition supporters that were there couldn’t help but clap and cheer his performance. It was amazing.

“It’s a decent size ground, it’s a couple of rugby fields put together, so that just made it even more spectacular.”

Brett Talbot (65) and Omair Fahim (38) had got Sanctuary Lakes off to a strong start before Pritchard walked to the crease.

Sitting comfortably at 3-170 entering the final over, Pritchard’s perfect over took his team to an imposing 3-206, setting Bellbridge a near-impossible chase.

Pritchard, the son of Sharks president Paul, then made sure they were never in the game, dismissing star opener and reigning Pollock Medal winner Daniel Spencer for two.

The Division 5 club’s upset win over Division 4 Bellbridge sets up a clash with Division 3 outfit Point Cook.

Doolan said there was a bit of a rivalry between the two clubs.

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“Brett (Talbot) joined us from Point Cook, he’s out First XI captain, and he got off to a good start on the weekend with 39 and then 68 yesterday as well,” Doolan said.

“We’ve got his old mates from Point Cook in the next round, there’s a fair few players used to play at Point Cook actually, so it sets up a bit of a bitter rivalry.”

“Hopefully we can get Max back again, that’s the plan at least.”

Earlier, Williamstown Imperials (5-76) defeated West Newport (72), Roxburgh Park (9-116) defeated Donnybrook (8-97), Williamstown CYMS (8-99) defeated Newport-Digman (8-95) and Jacana (3-48) defeated Sunbury 47.