FORMER Bournemouth star Dimi Mascarenhas achieved the extraordinary feat of smashing five successive sixes in England's one-day clash with India on Thursday.

The Hampshire all-rounder cleared the ropes with each of the last five balls of the England innings at the Brit Oval to finish on a lightning 36 from just 15 balls.

No English batsman has ever hit six consecutive sixes - the maximum possible off one standard over - in international cricket and it is thought it could be the first time any player has managed five.

Born in London, and rais-ed in Australia, Mascaren-has, now 28, is currently enjoying his benefit year after joining Hampshire as a raw teenager in 1996.

Mascarenhas turned out for Bournemouth Cricket Club at Chapel Gate in 1996, helping them win the old Southern League championship.

England made 316 before India got home with two wickets and two balls to spare.

Mascarenhas admitted he has never previously managed more than three sixes in an over, explaining: "After the second one I thought I am seeing it pretty well here, I am just swinging hard'.

"They just hit the middle of the bat - and he (Yuvraj) probably bowled them in the right areas for me. If you ask him, I guess he'd think he just got it a little bit wrong."

The first six would have been a four had Piyush Chawla not carried the ball over - and Mascarenhas recalled: "I saw him catch it and just thought touch the rope, touch the rope'.

"Sometimes you need a bit of luck."

Winning captain Rahul Dravid could only stand and watch.

"I've never seen hitting quite as big as that," he said. "If Piyush had caught the first one, it would have been different.

"After that one I said to Yuvraj don't worry - he'll edge the next one'. Then I said it after the second one - but after the third one I gave up."