Ambris continues unique Test debut

West Indies debutant Sunil Ambris has continued his unique introduction to international cricket, becoming just the sixth player to hit a six as their first scoring shot in their Test career.

Ambris carved himself an unwanted slice of history during the tourists' first innings against New Zealand in Wellington, becoming the very first batsman in the history of Test cricket to be out hit wicket for a golden duck on Test debut.

That dismissal came in amidst a Windies collapse that saw the tourists lose 8-30 to be bowled out for 134.

On the day four, it was a much happier story for Ambris when he strode to the crease with West Indies 4-257 in their second dig.

He faced two balls from New Zealand quick Trent Boult without scoring before sending the fourth ball he faced in international cricket over the fine leg fence for a maximum, albeit courtesy of a top-edge.

In doing so, he came just the sixth member of an exclusive club.

The last cricketer to manage the feat was Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva, against Australia in July 2016.

The 24-year-old saw off four deliveries from Steve O'Keefe without opening his account, before he latched on to the first delivery of O'Keefe's next over, dispatching the left-arm spinner straight down the ground for six.

In June 2014, New Zealand spinner Mark Craig smashed the first ball he ever faced in Test cricket for six against the West Indies at Jamaica's Sabina Park, while Zimbabwe’s Keith Dabengwa launched his Test career with a six off Black Caps great Daniel Vettori in Bulawayo in August 2005.

Prior to that, no player had achieved the feat since 1986, when West Indies batsman Carlisle Best dispatched England legend Ian Botham for six at Sabina Park.

Australia's Eric Freeman was the first recorded member of the club, starting his 11-match Test career in style against India at the Gabba in 1968.

Ambris's brief career has had an affinity with sixes so far; on Friday he became just the sixth batsman to be dismissed hit wicket for a golden duck in a Test innings when the 24-year-old played back to a short ball and stood on his stumps.

There have been 63 players to make a golden duck on Test debut, including Ambris, with 25 caught, 19 bowled, 16 leg before, one run out, one stumped and, now, one hit wicket.

The Windies' excitement on Monday did not last long - Ambris found the boundary just twice more before being dismissed for 18, as the tourists crumbled to an innings-and-67-run defeat.

Players to open their Test career accounts with a six

Eric Freeman, 1968 Australia v India, Brisbane

Carlisle Best, 1986 West Indies v England, Kingston

Keith Dabengwa, 2005 Zimbabwe v New Zealand, Bulawayo

Mark Craig, 2014 New Zealand v West Indies, Kingston

Dhananjaya de Silva, 2016 Sri Lanka v Australia, Kandy

Sunil Ambris, 2017 West Indies v New Zealand, Wellington

Test cricket's hit wicket golden ducks

Imtiaz Ahmed, 1962 Pakistan v England, Dhaka

Vijay Manjrekar, 1962 India v West Indies, Port of Spain

Mike Proctor, 1967, South Africa v Australia, Port Elizabeth

Vanburn Holder, 1975, West Indies v India, Chennai

Deryck Murray, 1980, West Indies v England, The Oval

Sunil Ambris, 2017, West Indies v New Zealand, Wellington