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Time for Maxwell and Stoinis to realise their God-given natural talent

24th December, 2018
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24th December, 2018
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There’s nothing more exasperating in sport than watching the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis consistently butcher their superb natural talent with low percentage hero shots.

Both were blessed to be born with acute ball-sense, the ultimate launching pad to succeed at the top level with bat, ball and in the field.

Maxwell consistently excels in the field as one of the world’s best, but lets himself down with bat and ball.

Stoinis isn’t as flash as Maxwell in the field, but is well above the average, yet treads the same path with bat and ball.

The positive examples are breath-taking.

Maxwell has scored one Test and one ODI century – the latter will live long in the memory.

The Test ton was at Ranchi against India in March last year with 102 off 185 with just nine fours, and two sixes, but in his 13 other visits to the Test crease he’s managed just one 40, two 30s, two 20s, three more in double figures, and five in single figures to average only 26.07.

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Way below his natural ability.

His ODI ton was 102 off 53 with 10 fours and four sixes against Sri Lanka in March 2015 at the SCG during the World Cup. The effort earned Maxwell man-of-the-match. He has a career average of 32.02.

Stoinis has yet to play a Test, but certainly has the natural ability to do so – and the baggy greens need them both.

Stoinis’ moment of glory was at Eden Park in only his second ODI innings, one that rates among the all-time greats.

Marcus Stoinis of Australia celebrates on reaching his maiden century

Marcus Stoinis should be a regular in the team. (AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)

It was an unbeaten 146 off just 117 with nine fours, and 11 sixes, he even had the Kiwi supporters on their feet saluting.

Stoinis came to the crease with Australia 6-67 and done for all money, chasing the New Zealand’s 286.

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The big guns hadn’t fired with Aaron Finch (4), Travis Head (5), Shaun Marsh (16), Peter Handscomb (7), Maxwell (20), and Sam Heazlett (4) back in the shed, but James Faulkner (25), and Pat Cummins (36), supported Stoinis as he cut loose.

It was an astonishing innings that failed by six runs when last man Josh Hazlewood went to sleep at the non-striker’s end and was ridiculously run out.

But it proved what Stoinis could do, and even though he has a very healthy ODI average of 42.41, there has been only five half-centuries among his 20 other digs, mixed with six single figures.

Not in keeping with his natural ability, despite a career strike rate of 98.22.

While Stoinis trails Maxwell as a world-class fieldsman, he’s a better bowler than Maxwell as he proved in that Eden Park loss with 10 overs in capturing 3-49 of nagging medium pace.

Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell of Australia bats. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

But all too often Stoinis bowls “please hit me” half-trackers, which is in keeping with not living up to his natural ability in all departments.

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That’s exactly what Maxwell and Stoinis share in common, and it’s a tragic waste.

Fingers crossed they can both realise their God-given talents sooner than later for the benefit of Australian, and world cricket as time is running out with Glenn Maxwell 30 years and 71 days old, Marcus Stoinis 29 and 130.

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