Dubai: Kerala is known in cricket for the exploits of medium pacer Santhakumaran Sreesanth. It is a state which is yet to have a cricket stadium for its association and yet to produce an outstanding batsman.
However, last week, Raiphi Vincent Gomes, a 24-year-old batsman, shocked the star-studded Hyderabad team with his batting display that almost equalled the world record.
He hit 34 runs in one over, including five sixes, in the Subbaiah Pillai One-day Tournament to almost equal Herschelle Gibbs six sixes in one over off Netherlands bowler Dan Van Bungee in the 2007 World Cup in St Kitts.
Gomes reached his half century in just 21 balls and went on to hit 88 runs in 29 balls, smashing nine fours and six sixes to help Kerala post 358. Hyderabad were restricted to 303.
It was during the last over of the innings that Gomes hit Ravi Tej for 34 runs.
His first and third six went out of the stadium.
Maximum runs
Incidentally, Gomes has entered the Indian cricket record books for the maximum runs in one over in a one-day match.
Gomes who studied at Mar Ivanios College in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, is from Abu Dhabi and is married.
