Australian selectors Rod Marsh and Darren Lehmann used their get out of jail free card when they named part-time offie Glenn Maxwell as the only spinner for the first of five ODIs against England at the Rose Bowl.
Maxwell finished with 1-35 off 4, while England’s leggie Adil Rashid took 4-39 off 10.
Yet Australia won by 59 after both sides suffered from middle order suicidal batting.
Australia, batting first after winning the toss, slumped from 1-133 to 6-193 in 10 overs, England from 1-112 to 7-194 off 19.
For the Australians – David Warner (59) woofed at Rashid and was caught at short third man, Steve Smith (44) smacked a Rashid full toss straight to Ben Stokes at deep mid wicket, George Bailey (23) was trapped plumb in front playing back to Rashid, Maxwell (15) was caught behind off Mark Wood, and Shane Watson (6) was run out after a shocking Wade call.
There was a run in it – half each.
Wade made amends with his man of the match 71* in a record-breaking ODI stand against England for the seventh wicket of 112 with Marsh (40*), beating the 95* between Ian Healy and Steve Waugh set at the MCG in 1991.
England’s collapse was started by opener Jason Roy (67), Maxwell’s only wicket, caught behind, James Taylor (49) was cleaned bowled by Shane Watson, Ben Stokes (13) found Joe Burns off Starc, skipper Eoin Morgan (38) was caught behind off Watson and walked, Jos Buttler (4) was brilliantly caught by a diving Marsh off Natahn Couleter-Nile, and Chris Woakes (0) departed first ball.
Coulter-Nile was on a hat-trick, his next ball was a blatant full toss, his second a wide.
Unbelievable.
So both sides did their best to lose, making it a very strange international in front of a big crowd in cold conditions.
Next up it’s Lord’s tomorrow night, and hopefully the home of cricket will produce more positive cricket.
Ashton Agar must come in for Bailey. Skipper Smith needs more variety than the selectors gave him at the Rose Bowl.
Agar’s left arm orthodox spin, and his superior batting, will strengthen the side, and Pat Cummins must open the bowling and not be held back until the seventh over.
Anyone who bowls at a consistent 150 clicks like Cummins isn’t a second fiddle bowler.
And it’s about time Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell got some runs.
If all those suggestions surface, the Australians will take a grip on the five-match series.
As is the wont of the world champions.
Andrew
Guest
Bailey is fine where he is as he is a good player. It's not bailey that's the issue but I find it hard to believe Stoinis is in this squad ahead of Khawaja given we already have Watson, maxwell and marsh as all rounders . Stoinis averages less than Khawaja in every version of the game. If the excuse is that he is there for his bowling - he averages over 50 with his bowling and we have three other all rounders in the squad in M Marsh, Watson and Coulter-Nile with Faulkner to come back in.How could you label it anything but favouritism because its hard to see it is based on any sort of cricket logic. I think marsh, Waugh and boof do a great job but I don't agree on this selection from an Aussie cricket fan who wants to see our best team playing.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Yep - since he was dropped and came back, he hasn't played a bad ODI innings. No idea why everyone's convinced he's past it and horribly out of form.
Don Freo
Guest
Whoops... I just look at the game of cricket not the score sheet. He batted well.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Maxi got 15. What is up with the sub-editors on this forum? That headline makes no sense. No award has ever won a cricket match.
Don Freo
Guest
David just looks at the scoresheet...he's never seen a game of cricket. Apparently Maxi's 44 was "no runs". .
Don Freo
Guest
Me too. I hang out for them. Matador can't have played much cricket. What's not to love?
Larney
Guest
Two in the World Cup actually!
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
And I recall that just a few ODI matches back Watto made an important not-out half century to seal our win in the World Cup Quarter Final. Just saying.
Ram C. Khanal
Roar Rookie
Come on David, this article looks out of touch. Maxwell's bowling figure is incorrect and not sure what you meant by "And it’s about time Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell got some runs". I agree about the Watson part but why Maxwell? Maxwell has done incredibly well both with bat and ball over for a long time now. I recall that just a few ODI matches back, Maxwell made an important century sealing Australia the world cup semi-final berth. Please get your facts right.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"part-time offie Glenn Maxwell". David... Maxwell has proven himself as far better than a "part time" ODI bowler. Over the past year, he has taken 26 wickets at an average of 26, at slightly better than one wicket per match. Those are stats a specialist spinner would be very happy with, let alone a supposed "part timer". He's made a habit of taking big wickets too as he did last night with the crucial dismissal of Jason Roy when Roy and Taylor were cruising at 1-112.
Nudge
Guest
Yep agree change the channel. Give me one day cricket over 20/20 any day of the week
Larney
Guest
I'm with you Zim Zam. Short memories indeed.
Pottsy
Guest
"Maxwell finished with 1-35 off 4". Are you sure about that David? Just asking because Cricinfo has his figures as 1-29 off 6. As for playing Agar I agree, but I don't think for Bailey. Actually I would play Lyon in ODIs, but until his ODI status changes from persona non grata that matters not a jot.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Well, mate, I'm glad I never batted with you. Also, if 'one good bowling performance' doesn't mean enough, then what does? Maybe a career bowling average of 31, along with a career batting average of 40? In Test cricket you might have a case, but Watson's limited overs record is fine, so give him a chance to play out an innings without being run out by his partner and judge his form after that.
Chris
Guest
Maxwell actually finished with 1-29 from 6 overs (not Marsh's 1-35 off 4) and Rashid's figures were 4-59 from 10.
13th Man
Guest
No way would i drop Bailey. Agar needs to come in for an all rounder. Probably Watson. One good bowling performance doesn't mean enough for me. Still a pedestrian average bowler and got whacked about in the t20. We lose nothing in the batting and gain plenty in the bowling by bringing Agar in for Watto. Wade did the team thing and Watto out early to save him further embarassment and allow Mitch Marsh to come in and finish off the innings. Well done Wade great performance!
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Mate, no-one's making you watch the ODIs, but I'm loving them, so just change the channel.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
"And it’s about time Shane Watson got some runs." About time he got some luck, too.
Matador
Guest
I love test match cricket and T20 is a god day out...One dayers have become irrelevant and have been replaced by the shorter more fun and more explosive format of T20...a call needs to be made to scrap the outdated 50 overs and have two formats like it used to be...one long eg; Test cricket, and one short: eg T20.... The middle man ( 50 overs ) is dead....