GLAMORGAN great Malcolm Nash – the bowler famously hit for six sixes in an over by West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers – has died at the age of 74.

Abergavenny-born Nash was the Welsh club’s leading wicket-taker when they won the County Championship in 1969, the year after being on the receiving end of Sobers’ big hitting at St Helen’s in Swansea.

Nash captained Glamorgan for two seasons in the latter stages of his career and had amassed just shy of 1,000 first-class wickets when he finished playing county cricket in 1983.

He was also a very capable batsman, scoring two first-class hundreds, both of which he compiled in matches where Glamorgan’s backs were firmly against the wall.

After a spell playing Minor Counties cricket for Shropshire in the mid-80s, he went on to coach the sport in California and then moved to Kansas before returning to Wales in 2013.

Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris said: “Malcolm was a true Glamorgan legend whose exploits have gone down in club folklore.

“His name is connected with that of Gary Sobers and St Helen’s but he was a fantastic cricketer who was an integral part of the club’s history and the side that lifted the County Championship in 1969.

“He was also a larger than life character who always had the best interests of the club at heart and continued to be involved closely with the club after his retirement.

“Malcolm will be sorely missed by everyone at Glamorgan and throughout the cricketing world and we extend our deepest sympathies to his friends and family.”

Given his role in that 1968 Sobers world record, Nash’s own achievements during his 17 years at Glamorgan are often overlooked, although he light-heartedly attributed his “fame and fortune” to the first ever six sixes over in first-class cricket.

Primarily a left-arm seam bowler, Nash, on the advice of skipper Tony Lewis, switched to spin against visitors Nottinghamshire – and the move worked as he picked up four wickets.

Then Sobers walked to the crease and the rest, as they say, is history.

The left-hander hit the first four balls of that Nash over for six, but it looked like his luck had run out when fielder Roger Davis caught Sobers’ strike off the fifth delivery.

However, Davis fell back over the boundary after taking the catch and, under a new rule brought in that year, a six was awarded by the officials.

Then, with history beckoning, Nash sent down a quicker final ball hoping to catch Sobers off guard, but the West Indies great dispatched it for a sixth successive maximum.

Amazingly, almost a decade later, Nash happened to be the bowler when Lancashire’s Frank Hayes blasted 34 off an over.

Speaking last summer on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the six sixes, Nash told BBC Wales: “I was a little numb immediately after the last ball. The fact it was a world record and history was made did not register.

“They declared and we walked off together and we were both smiling. I said he should buy me a couple of beers that evening because he could not have done it without me."

He added: “It did not define the rest of my career, if anything it gave me greater resolve.

“I could have easily said I was done with cricket and never picked up a ball ever again. That was not in my nature.

“My record speaks for itself and I got top players out on a regular basis.

“I knew I could bowl. I just did not bowl slow, orthodox left-arm again for a long time!”

Nash also helped Glamorgan beat Australia in 1968 and he played a pivotal role as they reached a first one-day final at Lord’s in 1977.

He died in hospital in London on Tuesday night after being taken ill at a function at Lord's.