MAXWELL SMART
‘BIG SHOW’ PROVES THEM WRONG
THE rollercoaster ride for Glenn Maxwell continues after being shunned by the Australian selectors most of this summer until his recent re-engagement with the T20 team.
The rise and fall of a few other players has been spectacular for some and equally heartbreaking for others.
The careers of the modern players can go from rags to riches very quickly — insert little-known D’Arcy Short — and equally from riches to rags — insert discarded gloveman Matthew Wade.
The Maxwell case is interesting and many people have had their say on the matter.
Maxwell, perhaps, had the best answer of all in Hobart during the week when he plundered a magnificent matchwinning century.
The best currency for any batsman is runs and Maxwell will again have many eyes glued to the TV tonight — and might even drag a few thousand extra people through the gates at the MCG.
In my opinion, Maxwell should be a certain starter in any white-ball game Australia plays. He provides a three-dimensional player to any team, which is invaluable.
He is a game-changing and occasional matchwinning batsman.
He bowls more-than-handy offspin and is world class in the field. It is surely only a personality clash that has kept him out this summer.
On the surface, it appears the wounds between him and the Test and one-day captain are slowly healing. Both are now making nice public announcements about each other.
The wound is deep and will still need some Betadine applied to fully recover. Maybe the Test captain’s absence from the T20 side was a nice entree back for Maxwell.
Wade must be wondering what on earth has happened in his world.
He has gone from the Test and ODI keeper to unable to get a game for his state or BBL team as the main gloveman.
The reason is obvious. His state and Hurricanes teammate Tim Paine has shot to the top of the charts, leaving Wade scratching his head. It has been an amazing fall from grace.
To make matters even worse, Wade opened the batting in the BBL semi-final in Perth and played a man-of-the-match winning innings of 71 of 45 balls, only to then be unbelievably dropped down the order in the grand final.
This was a bizarre tactical error by the Hurricanes. Wade was clearly as mystified — as were those watching.
Coming in when the Hurricanes were all but gone at the 17th over of the run chase, he was then run out without facing a ball.
The rumbling volcano that had been building inside Wade since his Australian rejection finally erupted.
He smashed his bat into the players’ dugout seat and stormed off to the dressing rooms.
It was not a good look, but I must admit I had empathy on this occasion. Every man has a breaking point and Wade is now in the wilderness.
A hefty $6000 fine was ordered for his behaviour and his career is in tatters.
The emergence of South Australian Alex Carey as Paine’s understudy more than likely means Wade’s Australian career is over.
The final exclamation mark on a horror week and summer for Wade saw him dismissed for a first-ball duck in the Shield game at the Gabba yesterday, which looked like a dubious leg-side caught behind decision. You can’t help but feel for Wade.
The other player who has totally fallen off the radar for Australian selectors is James Faulkner, who has gone from “The Finisher” two summers ago in the Australian ODI team to “The Forgotten”, who can’t even get a game in the Tasmanian state team at the moment.
He also had a very disappointing BBL series with the Melbourne Stars, especially with the ball, taking just six wickets in 10 games.
He looks lost and needs to rein- vent himself sooner rather than later.
Short, from Katherine in the Northern Territory, was the player of the series in the BBL with the Hobart Hurricanes.
He has not only earned a call into Australian colours at the top of the order with his belligerent batting approach, but was signed at the IPL auction for a whopping $775,000.
This is a life-changing amount of money for a young man who has come from nowhere.
It gives hope to all cricketers across the country that dreams can come true.