Glenn Maxwell has helped Australia pull off their greatest chase against Sri Lanka, thumping an unbeaten 80 in his one-day international return to seal a rain-affected two-wicket win.
Playing in an ODI for the first time since December 2020, Maxwell was the star as Australia completed their pursuit of a reduced target of 282 from 42 overs with nine balls to spare.
Australia continually put themselves in front of the Pallekele series opener, only for limping spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to keep Sri Lanka in it by taking 4-58 while battling a serious leg injury.
Australia looked in control at 2-126, 4-189 and eventually 5-228, before Hasaranga removed Alex Carey and Pat Cummins in the space of three deliveries.
But ultimately, it was Maxwell who put on the big show he is so often renowned for.
The 33-year-old pumped seven sixes in his 51-ball knock, pulling powerfully through the legside whenever the hosts got their lengths wrong.
In the over after Carey and Cummins departed he also took 15 off Maheesh Theekshana, reasserting Australia’s position.
And while Ashton Agar became the eighth Australian to fall with 28 needed, Maxwell held his nerve to finish the job with two straight sixes in the penultimate over.
“We probably lost a few too many wickets and made it closer,” Maxwell said.
“The run rate was at a controllable rate, but with the conditions keeping spinners always in the game and the quicks and their change-ups.
“On that pitch you were never over the line until the last went over the rope, so it was nice to get the job done.”
(Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)
Initially chasing down Sri Lanka’s 7-300, Maxwell’s heroics came after Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Finch had both hit 44 while Steve Smith controlled the early stage of the innings with his 53.
“That was an extraordinary innings by Maxwell,” Finch said.
“It was pure class. He showed a lot of skills and game smarts.”
But it wasn’t all positive for Australia.
Agar could be added to their growing injury ward, after leaving the field following the end of his 10 overs with the ball and reporting pain in his side.
The visitors are already without Mitchell Starc and Mitch Marsh for the next ODI on Thursday, while Kane Richardson and Sean Abbott have both been sent home with injuries.
Questions will also be asked of their bowling set-up ahead of next year’s one-day World Cup on similarly slow wickets in India.
With Adam Zampa back home on paternity leave, Australia still overlooked legspinner Mitchell Swepson on Tuesday and played three frontline quicks.
Agar (2-49) and Maxwell both bowled 10 overs each, while Marnus Labuschagne was called upon for three overs late.
Australia’s quicks struggled to get anything out of the slow pitch, as Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson went for a combined 1-166 from their 26 overs.
Meanwhile Hasaranga’s brave effort with the ball came after he hit 37 from 19 balls late for Sri Lanka, hitting Richardson for five straight boundaries in the penultimate over.
Kusal Mendis also struck 86 from 87, helping steady the ship after Sri Lanka went from 0-115 to 3-134 in their own innings.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Well that got a laugh. Gold in my book. I will try to catch an occasional article. But it hard for a born and bred Victorian. :thumbup:
Redcap
Roar Guru
I'm definitely not, Yattuzzi. Just a hobby - love my rugby league history and writing about it. I don't follow AFL or basketball, but you seem to have a very solid following and a flair for creative writing. In other words, I've no idea what you're talking about but can appreciate your style.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I am not sure I am a real sports writer. Always looking for an odd angle. I would rather make somebody think or laugh. But it can be fun… except for an occasional trool. Keep up the good work AMD.
Redcap
Roar Guru
I've been looking for an outlet for the voices in my head. :happy:
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I think that a lot of them are a lot longer on site and wrote their articles years ago. With my latest article low numbers, I am feeling the cool breeze. By the way, your production is seriously impressive.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Very strange you're still at 'rookie' level. I've seen 'gurus' with worse numbers - a lot worse.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Found what I am looking for!!
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Actually my last AFL is still below 400. Maybe the bye rounds or maybe I am just getting boring. Lucky we don’t tie up our self worth in reads. :thumbup:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
And AFL around 2000 I see. :thumbup:
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Close though. Lucky you do cricket, if you did basketball, about 300. :happy:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Yes, if 275 is regarded as par for Finch's era, I will always sign anyone off if the target is 5-10 less, as long as they have 5 or more overs to spare. The one where next top score was 26 is not so clear cut. I would have to view the scoresheet, as it could well have been a case of Australia never being in the hunt and therefore Finch batting with no real pressure given that defeat was a surety at all times. Aravinda de Silva played such an innings at the 2003 world cup. Can you give me links to all of Finch's odi tons? Mark Waugh's, Adam Gilchrist's, Ricky Ponting's, Matthew Hayden's and David Warner's are all on Wikipedia, and I know in my head all the necessary details for all 10 collective odi tons for Greg Chappell and Dean Jones. It seems like I am slightly ill-informed about Finch in above par run chases. It will actually raise his ranking alongside those other players in my book, so I would be eternally grateful for any more info you could provide.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Jays Richardson bowled two of the worst ever final or penultimate overs in this match and the last T20. Completely incapable of bowling a yorker. Then bowled short and wide ball after ball with no third man!
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Maxwell to the rescue what on earth would you do without Victorian prestigious talent :stoked:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I seriously can't look at it all right now but I surely will tomorrow. Thanks for your effort.
Patrick
Roar Pro
You also asked about Finch. Like Maxwell his numbers are similar regardless of who bats first. Some examples: 1. 121 in a chase of 270 at the MCG in 2014. It’s not 275 but close enough really. 2. He made another hundred in Perth later that summer in a 300+ chase. Australia lost, but largely because the next highest score was 26. Hardly Finch’s fault imo. 3. November 2014 against South Africa. Made 76 in a successful rain shortened chase in Sydney. 4. If we skip to some more recent ones, he made back to back hundreds against Pakistan in 2019, including 153* in the game where he bowled 10 overs in Sharjah. Both chases were 280+. In Finch’s case I’ve left out far more examples, so the above is by no means a comprehensive list.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I don’t expect anyone to pull off miracles all the time. I am also not anti big maxy. I am definitely anti people who have no tolerance for Mark Waugh not averaging a superficial 50 in test cricket. So far I like you. :stoked:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I did read something else: I rate 275-300 as the par score for Maxwell's era but we can surely talk about that.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
No apology necessary Patrick. I can't read it all as I am literally about to go to bed. But I surely will tomorrow. Many thanks in advance.
Patrick
Roar Pro
Apologies for the lengthy reply. I’m not sure 275+ chases are really the only metric. I think those are important for sure, but so too are innings where the game situation presented a challenge regardless of the target. In light of your request, here are some examples. Some are more impressive than others, but you can’t seriously expect him to pull off miracles all the time. 1. Pakistan v Australia 2012 (3/9/2012): 56* (38). Target was 244, but Australia needed a run a ball when Maxwell came to the crease. Not a miracle, but a solid effort to guide the team home in foreign conditions. 2. Australia v England (21/1/2014): 54 (39). Target 301. The James Faulkner game. Faulkner was the hero, but the chase probably wasn’t possible without Maxwell’s contribution. 3. Australia v India (21/1/2016): 96 (83). Target 296. Big score in big chase. 4. West Indies v Australia (21/6/2016): 46* (26). Target 283. Got the job done with 8 balls to spare. 5. India v Australia (17/9/2017): 39 (18). Came to the crease at 3/29 (6.4) in a rain shortened chase of 137 off 21 overs. By no means a miracle, but an important innings as most of his teammates failed with the bat. 6. Manchester 2020 as others have mentioned 7. Yesterday Sure this is just 7 innings. But he’s only batted in 45 run chases. Among those 45 chases are innings I’ve excluded because the chase was easy (the rapid 50 as an opener against the West Indies, 44* in the 2015 WC semi), and innings where Australia lost (60 (22) against India chasing 384, 59 (38) in Canberra last summer). There are also four not out scores less than 30, which don’t really deserve any judgement, and a range of scores in the 30s at a reasonable pace often in winning chases. Of course there are also failures. There have to be. That happens to every cricketer. Bradman was dismissed for less than 20 in 27.5% of his Test innings. That’s Test cricket. When your striking at 120 in the late overs of an ODI, then naturally there is a greater level of risk involved. Out of curiosity are you anti-Maxwell, or impartial and genuinely looking for evidence?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
What???