D’Arcy delivers ... again

ANOTHER day, another fine knock ... D’Arcy Short last night helped Australia to a five-wicket T20 win against England at Blundstone Arena. Short hit at a breezy 30 and Glenn Maxwell a ton.

THE “Big Show” has been a ticking time bomb all summer and last night it exploded in the face of England as Glenn Maxwell smashed a matchwinning century to power Australia to a thrilling T20I win at Blundstone Arena.

“Maxi” needed a six to bring up his 100 before he tipped Australia past England’s 9-155 and he obliged by launching Chris Jordan on to the hill to the roar of 9958 fans.

It was a much-needed win over England after it humbled Australia in the ODI series.

Maxwell started the English carnage with a brilliant spell of cheeky tweakers that yielded 3-10 off two overs.

The powerful right-hander then showed why the Delhi Daredevils paid $1.75 million for him in the IPL auctions, smashing 103 off 58 deliveries, with 10 fours and four sixes. Maxwell lived dangerously. He was dropped on 40 in the eighth over by Alex Hales in the deep and was caught again in the deep on 59 in the 13th over by Jason Roy, but on review the third umpire decided there was too much grass involved.

A century was not always on his mind.

“I told Alex Carey to get a two because I didn’t have that much left, but he got a single and said ‘there you go mate, good luck’,” Maxwell said.

Fresh from his stint with the Hobart Hurricanes, D’Arcy Short was right at home at Blundstone, belting a quickfire 30 off 20 balls, with two fours and two enormous sixes.

The Maxwell-Short partnership of 78 off 48 corrected a disastrous Australian start.

Opener David Warner clubbed the first ball of the innings back over the head of David Willey for four and next ball was caught pulling to deep square leg. Two balls later Willey lit up Chris Lynn’s wickets, Australia 2-4.

Short and Maxwell joined forces for a show of power hitting and when Short (30 off 20) departed at 3-83 the Aussies were back on track.

England shot out of the blocks with the bat, hitting 50 after the first five overs.

Dangerman Roy was quickly back in the dugout and Dawid Malan joined Hales and hammered the Australian pace attack. Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye and Marcus Stoinis slowed the scoring from overs 11-13 and the wickets of Jos Buttler and Sam Billings put on the brakes, England making 9-155.