Cricket: 34 off an over! Jimmy Neesham goes berserk for Black Caps against Sri Lanka

Jimmy Neesham hits out in his incredible innings. Photo / Getty

Jimmy Neesham has made a dream return to international cricket, with the Black Caps all-rounder smashing an incredible 34 runs from an over against Sri Lanka.

Neesham blasted five sixes in an over from Thisara Perera as part of a phenomenal 47 not out from 13 balls, which saw the Black Caps finish at 371-7 - their seventh highest ODI score of all time.

While they were on track for a strong score before he arrived at the crease, Neesham turned it into an fearsome total with a superb display of clean hitting in his first ODI since June 2017.

Facing just his third ball of the innings, Neesham sent the first two balls from Perera's over booming over mid-wicket, before the third went straight back down the ground for six more.

The fourth delivery was smoked over mid-wicket once again, leading to an urgent discussion between captain Lasith Malinga and Perera. However, that didn't make things any better, with a waist-high full toss being called a no-ball, and Neesham taking two more.

When the resulting free hit was smacked - surprise - for six more onto the Bay Oval roof - Neesham had racked up 33 from five balls, and was a chance to break the long-standing record for most runs of an international over - 36.

However, just as an unthinkable record loomed, and the possibility to join an exclusive club of players to hit six sixes in an over, Perera finally found his line, and Neesham could only swat it to mid-wicket for a single.

🔥🔥🔥 WOW! What an over of batting from @JimmyNeesh!

6 6 6 6 2nb 6 1 - 34 runs off it! Crowd on their feet at @BayOvalOfficial! pic.twitter.com/ScNUYYkefE

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 3, 2019

The end result was 34 runs off the over, with Perera's figures ballooning from a respectable 2-46 to 2-80, and Neesham didn't stop there, taking six more off the final ball of the innings to end with 47 off 13 balls.

If not for running out of time, he would have claimed the fastest ODI 50 - currently held by AB De Villiers, off 16 balls - but he still claimed the record for the highest strike rate in an innings of 10 balls or more, ahead of De Villiers' absurd 149 off 44 balls against the West Indies.

41 run partnership in 9 minutes. This is why Matt Henry needs more opportunity. #NZvSL

— Louis Herman-Watt (@LouisHWatt) January 3, 2019

Neesham's hitting came after 138 from Martin Guptill, 76 from Kane Williamson, and 54 from Ross Taylor, and all the contributions left Sri Lanka with a mountain to climb at Bay Oval.