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Walking out to bat today at the MCG, Maxwell had something to prove. Maxwell’s talent is unquestioned, his grit constantly. With bat in hand, he walks a tightrope between accolades and absurdity.
He is Australian cricket’s pendulum, swinging between popular and pariah. Two months ago, he blasted 145 off 65 balls in a T20 in Sri Lanka. A week ago, he found himself playing grade cricket in suburban Melbourne.
Making his return to the team, Maxwell walks out to start the second day’s play. It’s cold, cloudy and the wind goes right through you.
Overnight six not out, Victoria leading by less by 20, the pressure is on. Not that you’d know it from the crowd. I counted eight spectators in the stands, and five others in the café.
The ex-copper Luke Feldman, opens the attack. Cameron White, another player in exile, faces up. Feldman runs in shrouded by silence and bowls as if to shatter it.
On the third ball of the morning, Maxwell starts with a play and a miss. Fifth ball of the first over, he steps into it and knocks it down the ground for four. Maxwell is away.
Next over, temptations abound. The young Queensland spinner, Swepson bowls plump leg breaks. Maxwell resists, just knocking him around.
The first ten overs of the day, Maxwell’s discipline holds. But White has had the majority of the recent strike and you can sense Maxwell’s building impatience.
Twelfth over, Maxwell finally cracks. He flicks Michael Neser’s length ball straight to Feldman at fine leg. Feldman grasses an easy chance. Maxwell survives and settles again.
After drinks, the 19th over of the day, Peter George is testing Maxwell now. Maxwell struggles with the height and the ball back of a length. But again he gets through, as the rain starts to fall. Maxwell applies himself and sees through the next half dozen damp overs.
Over 27, Maxwell thwacks a back of the length ball through the covers for four. Two balls, later George overpitches and is punched back for four more. Nine off the over, Maxwell 48.
Over 29, Maxwell reaches 50. For a man nicknamed the Big Show, the celebration is as understated as you can get. The bat is barely raised, as if brushing off a cobweb off his shirt.
Just before lunch, Swepson comes back. Maxwell gleefully dispatches Swepson’s short offerings to the deep midwicket fence. Next Swepson over, the bowl continues to visit the same fence. At lunch, Maxwell strides in 68 not out.
After lunch, tempted by Swepson, Maxwell nearly chips a full toss to midwicket. Joe Burns’s fingers are damaged in the process. Burns goes off the field, thankfully for the Australian selectors, to return later. Maxwell though continues to pick off Swepson, moving into the 70s.
Forty-first over of the day, Maxwell takes four more runs through third man. Now 81 not out, questions start to abound. Is the hundred on the way? Can he displace Mitch Marsh for the next Test? The thoughts get away for the crowd but perhaps also for Maxwell too.
Three balls later Maxwell cracks. At a length ball, he goes too hard trying a straight drive. False shot, he nicks. Hartley makes no mistake. Maxwell’s innings ends on 81.
Cameron White goes on to make a hundred. Victoria posts a lead of 290. Queensland loses four wickets before close. But for today, the story is Maxwell.
For on this day, Maxwell can be proud, playing an innings not a cameo. He saw off the bowling and earned his runs. He was responsible and resolute.
However, for the masses it will be unseen. But for Maxwell it’s an important step. An innings of graft and grit, that starts rebuilding his reputation.
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