You can keep your tied semi-finals. Don’t bother me with iconic hundreds in deciders. Don’t even start about batting revolutions in the first ten overs.
No, friends, the greatest World Cup memory of all is Glenn Maxwell’s breakthrough century on a balmy Sydney afternoon back in 2015.
Some might say a low-stakes group win against Sri Lanka by a dominant team couldn’t produce the most delightful moment of all time.
But where do we begin? Maxwell made the fastest one-day hundred by an Australian that day, blazing there in 51 balls.
It was the second-fastest in a World Cup, one delivery behind Kevin O’Brien’s epic when the Irish stunned England just before St Patrick’s Day.
Maxwell’s may not have fallen in such a potent context of national identity. It wasn’t a symbolic strike against a historical oppressor.
But it had emotional heft, it had realness, it had something that went beyond politics to the heart of the human condition.
At the time, Glenn Maxwell had a difficult relationship with centuries. Coming in to bat at six or seven or even eight, they were rarely a possibility in one-day games.
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
If he did get time at the crease it meant Australia had lost a chunk of wickets early and he was supposed to sensibly rebuild.
But of course that wasn’t his style, preferring innings like his 60 from 22 balls in Bengaluru in 2013, making the pace for James Faulkner to set the previous record for Australia’s fastest ton. For a while, it looked like they would chase India’s 383.
In that same series, Maxwell had his first near-milestone, smiting five balls into the Ranchi crowd including a trademark switch-hit off Ravi Ashwin, but getting trapped by a seaming ball on 92.
In the 2014 IPL, he racked up scores of 90, 95, 89 and 95 in the space of a few games, all nudging or beating a strike rate of 200.
In Harare later that year, he poleaxed Zimbabwe with 93 from 45 balls before a catch was held in the deep.
Against England in Perth before the World Cup, he saved Australia in a tri-series final but holed out for 95. And against Afghanistan in the World Cup, he looted 88 from 39 balls before skewing a catch as he tried to clear cover.
Related
What this showed was that he didn’t change his game for milestones. None of these dismissals came from nervous prods or frazzled decisions.
They came late in the innings, meaning Maxwell solely wanted to hit as far as he could. Where other players might have eased up and worked the last few runs into the gaps, he kept aiming to clear fences.
Nor did this change after his breakthrough. At the MCG in 2016 he was on 96 with scores level against India when he tried to launch a six. In Dubai in 2019 he reached 98, but was run out in the last over chancing a Pakistani outfielder’s arm.
Self-preservation never came into it. Only maximising the score.
Which is what happened on the day he broke through. He didn’t play like it, but the milestone mattered. Maxwell was maligned, cast as wild and intemperate. The easiest justification was that he hadn’t registered a hundred for Australia.
While he still has critics who view him as undisciplined, they’ve at least had to move that particular set of goalposts.
When he came to the crease in Sydney the score was 175 for 3, with 32 overs gone. What followed was classic Maxwell: fearless through the line, hitting clean and long whenever the chance arose, and sometimes manufacturing the chance when it didn’t.
His time in the 90s was nervous for anyone supporting him. A near catch that Kumar Sangakkara couldn’t reach. An anticlimax on 99 when the umpire ruled a leg bye. Finally a chip over mid-off, landing safely, allowing him back for two.
(AFP / Theo Karanikos)
The man himself cried out at the ground as he ran, waving his clenched fist, thrashing his bat through the air, a dozen emotions competing for face time.
One detail made it even more special.
Before the World Cup he had started to buy into the criticism. To wonder if he was good enough. The teammate who put an arm around his shoulders was none other than Shane Robert Watson.
Watto knew better than anyone about self-doubt. He knew criticism. He sits firmly in the conversation as Australia’s most maligned player, despite an outstanding white-ball record and every award the game could bestow.
Watson in his older and wiser years took it on himself to look after young players arriving in the team. He made himself Maxwell’s source of reassurance, ongoing through a World Cup where the Victorian’s contributions kept mounting in both style and substance.
And when that hundred finally arrived, there at the other end was Watson, blasting out the biggest smile imaginable as he ran down to wrap up his friend in a hug so bearish that Maxwell will feel safe for the rest of his life.
Maxwell buried his head in Watson’s shoulder, completely overcome. It was a hug that nearly knocked Watson’s helmet off, tipping it back on his head as he pounded Maxwell on the back and beamed like a full moon.
They put on 160 runs in a dozen overs together that day, vaulting Australia to an eventual score of 376.
Maxwell made the first of his three T20 centuries in 2016, then a Test ton in India in 2017.
To this day, only two Australians have made hundreds in all three formats of the game. One is Maxwell. The other is Watson.
And for that moment at the SCG, alone in the middle of the pitch while thousands watched on, they were there: two friends who had faced down doubt standing safe in the warmest embrace, in a moment of pure white light.
Go in the draw to win $2K by joining The Roar‘s 2019 Cricket World Cup tipping comp by submitting your tips below!
var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open('POST', '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php', true); request.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded;'); request.onload = function () { if (this.status >= 200 && this.status
Rob
Guest
I think Watson put his hand up to open and do what was best for the team at that time. He was more suited to the middle order but some blokes were reluctant to move up because it wasn’t in their best interests. Clarke was in the form of his life but continued batting 5 for instance.
Rob
Guest
What a great story. I have been a huge fan of Maxwell. One of Australia’s greatest cricketing talents so overly criticised and undervalued IMO. Maybe it was jealousy from others or his self belief came across as arrogance to coaches I don’t know. One thing I know is in the big games or when times are tough Maxi tends to stands up and IMO is always playing for the team first. Thanks Geoff.
JJ
Guest
I still google that innings. His shots are remarkable. He's my favourite all time cricketer. I truly believe if given an extended run in the test team and batting at number 3 he could score 400+ in a test match ... all the ingredients would need to be there but he is as talented as any player to have ever played the game. God I hope he plays in the ashes as well.
Peter Warrington
Guest
1 million per cent agreement from me
Peter Warrington
Guest
oh yes it was Watto's fault that Clarke and Ponting fell apart in 10-11. 97, 96, 95, 93 are the scores he made between 90 and 100 and he also made an 88 and an 89. it's not bad compared to a Marcus Harris lock-in son of langer type, who has a 79 and a 70, and the got out between 10 and 40 nearly every dig
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Peter. He did do ok partnering Katich then elsewhere and average showed that. But the conversation rate of something like 5 hundreds to 25 fifties was poor. You will hear commentators all the time mention things long the line of batsmen getting a start and failing to keep going as a reason for a team not winning. Fifties to 100 is the easiest example I can think of.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Great piece Geoff. “What this showed was that he didn’t change his game for milestones.” Maxwell’s selflessness is so often overlooked. In fact it’s more common he’s labelled selfish for getting out with an adventurous stroke. If he wanted to he could play much safer, reduce his strike rate below 100, boost his average and cop way less criticism. But that would actually hurt the team as they need Maxwell’s 120+ strike rate to balance out the many 85-90 strike rates in the side. He is the ultimate role player yet gets scant acknowledgment of this fact.
Peter Warrington
Guest
he should have been banned after that. sweeping fast yorkers from outside off for six. very unsporting!
Peter warrington
Guest
Watson averaged 40 when batting 1-3 and 23 when lower. he and Katich for 18 months were a world class partnership it all fell apart when Clarke became captain, Watto struggled a bit for form and Kat got the chop but why you would resist his numbers at the top of of the order? just mind boggling to me.
Peter Warrington
Guest
then don't i do.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I remember it well, but that's sort of my point, I don't think Maxwell is necessarily doing much differently at the moment, he's just in a good spot, like he has been at times in the past. It also helps that he's at that peak age for a batsman - at 30 he's got his sort of best 3 years or so ahead of him.
Nick
Roar Guru
Cool article. AB de Villiers scoring 162* of 66 balls was the true phenomenon of the last world cup. A 3/4 full SCG primarily of Australians, but a healthy contingent of South Africans all chanting "AB, AB, AB" is something I won't forget.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I am, I’ve responded seriously cause he really is probably my favourite Aus cricketer right now, so I just used the article as an excuse to spruce Maxi.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Actually, leading into the 2015 WC he had a long stretch of poor form and almost missed out on the squad. But got a couple of good innings just before the WC to push him into the team and then had a good WC.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Oh sorry Bush, I misinterpreted your comments too then; "Maxwell is my favourite cricketer of this current generation." I thought you were a fan of Maxwell.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hello all. That record might put them together, so might their skills a little. One difference was batting position. In test I don’t think Watson ‘stepped’ up to what is generally, thought of as/wanted/believed an opener need the team to be doing. In ODI/20-20 he was a different story. I don’t know how or why it was like this, but it was. D Warner can come in and blast and play how he wants, picking where he wants to bat etc, because his record showed he has ‘performed’. Watson had chances and the record didn’t. This rubbed some in the public The wrong way with how Watson had a ‘perceived’, treatment to get more ‘tests’. Maxwell (in test) hasn’t gotten that (so far). He does play in a different position (in both, test, ODI, 20 over), I think that changes his role/expectations placed upon him. Fans don’t know the insides, but it doesn’t seem to many that he has been given the opportunities/chances other had been. From the articles innings, it gives the impression (like Watson) he is a freak/a once in generation etc. I think Watson in test, people judge him accurately, in ODI and The 20 game, totally under appreciated. Maxwells also undervalued in the player he is. Insult_2_injury, that Ponting innings, more so then any other game I have ever watched, left me in ‘shock’. His determination, with how easily/to the next level he crushed the other team. It wasn’t just an amazing innings, you could see the Indians knew they couldn’t come back.
Bill Peters
Roar Guru
If Maxwell had been given as many chances to succeed as Watson did, he'd probably have half a dozen Test centuries now. Hopefully he makes this World Cup his own.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this series of articles have been a bit of tongue in cheek...
The Bush
Roar Guru
I dunno if I hold him in "high esteem" in the test arena. Yeah he had a great 18 months, but outside of that he really wasn't to flash. After 2010, his year on year averages were 24, 31, 35, 25 and 30. He also ceased being a major wicket taker from about then too taking only 33 wickets from 2011 onwards, which was inflated by a good 2011 with the ball - he only took 17 in his last four years (2012 - 2015). To put Watto's career in context... he averages one more run than Shaun Marsh. Yes Watto took a few wickets and therefore added real value, and I like the guy, but I dunno about holding him in high esteem in test cricket.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Each to their own Geoff! I much prefer Ponting dismantling the Indians in South Africa and Gilchrist in the West Indies, both in Finals.