Maxwell, Warner tons headline Australia’s demolition act
Glenn Maxwell hit the fastest World Cup hundred off 40 balls and propelled Australia to 399/8 against Netherlands in Delhi. The base was set up earlier by a hundred from David Warner and half-centuries from Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Maxwell, whose hundred was also the fourth fastest in ODIs, surpassed Aiden Markram’s feat by nine balls at the same venue. For Warner, it was his 22nd ODI hundred and his sixth in World Cups, joint second-most alongside Sachin Tendulkar and only behind Rohit Sharma (7 hundreds). Maxwell’s innings, which featured 9 fours and 8 sixes, came after Australia were in a bit of trouble after losing two wickets in two balls, including that of a well-set Warner. Walking out to bat in the 40th over, Maxwell took little time to get going and scored back to back boundaries off Bas de Leede. He got to his fifty off 27 balls but hit another gear after that, relishing the freedom of batting in the last four overs of the innings with a substantial score on the board already. Maxwell faced most of his deliveries from right-arm medium pacers and could line them up on a flat track with his reverse-sweeps, switch hits and slogs around the ground. The only blip while he was out there was perhaps the run-out of Cameron Green, who was caught short on the second run by a brilliant throw from Sybrand Engelbrecht. It was Warner earlier in the day who set the pace for his side, hitting four boundaries in the third over of the innings bowled by an otherwise immaculate Aryan Dutt. Even though Mitchell Marsh miscued a pull against Logan van Beek and fell early, Smith and Warner kept ticking runs on a very good surface for batting as Australia totalled 66/1 after the first PowerPlay. Warner got to his fifty off 40 balls while Smith off 53 balls as the duo added 122 runs for the second wicket. Warner had a close shave when Roelof van der Merwe claimed a sharp low catch at cover which was later deemed not-out by the TV umpire. But only a few balls later, Smith offered a similar chance at backward point and van der Merwe collected it clean this time, giving Netherlands the much-needed breakthrough. Labuschagne, who was even hit on the helmet by van Beek, added some steady runs with Warner for the third wicket and raised his 9th ODI fifty before holing out at mid-on off the bowling of Bas de Leede. The pacer, who relied heavily on the scrambled-seam delivery during this spell, got the wicket of Josh Inglis in the next over, threatening to contain Australia to a par total. But then Maxwell arrived at the crease and did what he does, taking the attack to de Leede with a couple of boundaries against him and hitting him. When de Leede returned later, Maxwell picked up 5 sixes and 2 fours against the pacer. The 48th and 49th overs went for 21 runs and 28 runs respectively as Maxwell blasted Australia to a really strong total. Bas de Leede finished with 2 for 115. Brief scores:
Australia 399/8 in 50 overs(Glenn Maxwell 106, David Warner 104, Steven Smith 71, Marnus Labuschagne 62; Logan van Beek 4-74, Bas de Leede 2-115) vs Netherlands
