The Big Show, they call him. A big show he gave them.
Glenn Maxwell on Wednesday produced one of the most astonishing displays of batting in recent time, as he broke the record for the fastest-ever World Cup hundred by nine balls.
His 106 off 44 balls (9x4, 8x6) stunned the unfortunate Netherlands bowlers as well as the fortunate 18,000-odd spectators that came to watch the match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It had become more of a mismatch by the time Maxwell’s third ODI hundred came to an end. The former champion ended with 399 for eight.
In reply, Netherlands was bundled out for 90 in just 21 overs. The Aussies won by 309 runs, the biggest margin at the World Cup.
It was their third win on the trot after their campaign stumbled at the beginning, with convincing losses to India and South Africa.
They are now looking really good – even without Travis Head, whose return to the eleven didn’t happen with this match despite all the speculation.
That meant David Warner and Mitchell Marsh could continue with their opening partnership, which had yielded a record 259 in the last match.
On this night, it was only worth 28, with Marsh’s attempt to pull Logan van Beek, from outside the off-stump, ending up as a skier.
Marsh was the rare failure among the top four, as Warner (104, 93b, 11x4, 3x6), who made his sixth World Cup hundred, Steve Smith (71, 68b, 9x4, 1x6) and Marnus Labuschagne (62, 47b, 7x4, 2x6) all looked keen to make the most out of the batting beauty.
That beast of an innings by Maxwell, however, made them the supporting cast.
Maxwell looked like a superhero that made his appearance a little before the climax.
He came in only in the 40th over and played shots the way like nobody else probably could have, such as the six that took him to his fifty - the reverse-sweep off Bas de Leede, who would go on to become the most expensive bowler in ODI history (two for 115).
His second fifty came off just 13 balls. He added 103 off 44 balls for the seventh wicket with captain Pat Cummins, whose contribution in it was eight.
After the Maxwell masterclass in massacre, the question was when the bowlers would finish the job.
They didn’t take much time, with Adam Zampa recording his third four-wicket haul in a row. This game though will be remembered more for the Maxwell show.
Comments
SHARE