Maxwell revels in life at the top as records fall
GLENN Maxwell insists he is a more dangerous batsman at the top of the order and, after leading Australia to a world record T20 international total, it’s hard to argue with him.
The 27-year-old hit a blistering 145 not out from just 65 deliveries as Australia racked up 263-3 against Sri Lanka in Kandy, breaking the hosts’ previous international record.
Maxwell fell just short of Aaron Finch’s individual record of 156 and, while it was a brutal display, it was the opportunity to play himself in that allowed the opener to fire.
“I really enjoy batting at the top of the order in T20 cricket,” said Maxwell, who had managed just two short-form half-centuries in 30 innings before this effort. “I find it’s easier to get into the innings.
“When you’re in the middle order you have to be proactive the whole time. It seems like if you get out playing a big shot at that stage of the game, it all falls on your shoulders.
“At the top of the order you’ve got a little bit more freedom to get yourself into the game and play pretty normal cricket shots without taking risks.You only have two guys on the fence.
“The way Sri Lanka set fields at the start made it pretty obvious where they’re going to bowl. It made my job a lot easier in the first six.
“When I looked up and there were eight overs to go and I was 80 or 90, I got the sense it would be a big score.”
After a flying start,Travis Head’s 45 off 18 balls in a 109-run partnership took Australia past Sri Lanka’s previous best of 260 which was set nine years ago.
The Sri Lankans’ response would have been a reasonable effort on another day, but they lost wickets on a regular basis with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland both finishing with 3-26 as Australia picked up a convincing 85-run win.
That followed their success in the fifth and final ODI at the same ground where David Warner’s 106 helped the Australians to a five-wicket win as they completed a 4-1 series victory. IRELAND suffered a T20 comedown at the hands of Hong Kong days after moving closer to a coveted Test spot for 2018.
The Irish, who beat Hong Kong in the all-important Intercontinental Cup clash at Stormont last Friday, slumped to a 1-0 T20 series defeat after Tuesday’s second game was called off due to a wet outfield.
Hong Kong had started at a rate of knots in Bready, with Nizakat Khan doing most of the damage at the top of the order.
The all-rounder hit 62 runs from 43 deliveries and, when skipper Babar Hayat came to the crease at No.3, the innings only accelerated.
For his part, Hayat took just 31 balls for his 49 as he kept the up the pressure when Khan was dismissed off Jacob Mulder in the 12th over.
Fast bowler Craig Young was the target of particular punishment (1-56), though spinner Andy McBrine (1-22) helped rein Hong Kong in.
A late-innings flourish from Ehsan Khan (29no), however, saw the visitors reach a very respectable 169-5.
In reply, Ireland could not have feared a worse start as skipper William Porterfield was quickly followed by Sean Terry back to the pavilion with just three overs played.
Tanwir Afzal (2-18) proved Hong Kong’s chief antagonist but the rot finally stopped at 24-4 when Kevin O’Brien and Greg Thompson linked up in the middle.
Neither could produce the big score that Ireland were looking for though, as O’Brien fired 32 and Thompson fell on 44.
It was Aizaz Khan who stole the show for Hong Kong, producing a superb 3-10 with his seam to help wrap up a 40-run victory.
But Ireland will put their disappointment into context after beating Hong Kong in Belfast to keep up their unbeaten record in the Intercontinental Cup.
The winner of the tournament will play the bottom-ranked Test nation in 2018 for the right to receive Test status for four years.
Porterfield (88) and Gary Wilson (95) saw Ireland to a 316 first-innings total, and Hong Kong were always playing catch up before falling to a 70-run defeat.