Relative unknown batsman Richard Levi broke two world records on his way to a Twenty20 hundred, making Chris Gayle look more like Chris Tavarè.

His hundred came in a record-smashing 45 balls and in total he smote 13 sixes; 3 more than the previous record. He trended worldwide on twitter.

Some people will put it down to natural talent. Others will say he just had a big slice of luck.

But really it’s the result of hard work built on some excellent physical skills.

Here are the 5 reasons Richard Levi can make six hitting look like a stroll in the park.

Levi is naturally broad shouldered and he has made the most of his natural gifts with time in the gym. That gives him plenty of force to put into the ball.

2. He is balanced

All that strength means nothing if you are in the wrong position, but Levi has a solid technique. He lets his head lead, keeps his balance with his legs and hits the ball out in front of him. Of course, having perfect timing helps, but you can’t time the ball unless you are in the right place.

3. He knows where to hit it

His strength in hitting is the leg side, where most of his boundaries ended up. But he’s not a slogger. Length balls and shorter were pulled from a perfect position. Full balls were driven with Levi just ‘sitting back’ in the shot to get distance and hang time.

4. He doesn’t get carried away

Even when the sixes were raining down, Levi stayed focused on the simple task of watching the ball and scoring where he knew he could score. There were no switch hits or dilscoops. He didn’t get clever. He stood and hit cleanly then waited for the next one.

5. He practices hard and smart

It didn’t all come easy for Levi. A talented schoolboy, he spent several seasons underachieving in professional cricket before getting his act together. He listened to advice of senior players like Owais Shah and refocused on getting to the next level. He practiced hard, practiced smart and learned his game.

At club, school and Academy level we can learn from Levi. Make the most of your natural traits by practicing hard, building a solid technique then establishing a game plan that suits you.

It’s a long tough road and many fall by the wayside.

Will you be the one like Levi who bucks the trend? 

A little online coaching should help you on your way. After all, you can't do it alone, so why not get the best coaches in the world to give you their advice?