Glenn Maxwell hits back-to-back half centuries for Victoria to stay in fame for first Ashes Test
GLENN Maxwell has hit back-to-back half centuries for Victoria to keep him firmly in the frame for the Gabba Test.
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GLENN Maxwell has hit back-to-back half centuries to keep him firmly in the frame for the Gabba Test.
The Victorian batsman produced a well-made 64 on Tuesday but missed a golden chance to post a big ton as the Bushrangers won/lost chasing 348 on the fourth day against South Australia at the MCG.
The loss leaves Victoria 0-2 to start their Sheffield Shield title defence.
Maxwell, 29, enjoyed valuable time in the middle and again illustrated his scoring power, unleashing a couple of crushing drives over the long-on boundary off leg spinner Adam Zampa.
But, after a knock of 60 in the first innings on Sunday, Maxwell will almost certainly need another significant score in the next Shield game against Tasmania on Monday to beat a swath of contenders for the wide-open No. 6 spot in the Australian batting order.
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Importantly, Maxwell looked comfortable defending on the front foot to the quicks and pounded paceman Daniel Worrall over the square leg boundary for six.
The South Australians stacked the leg side field for Maxwell and tried to test him with a short-pitched bowling plan at times.
But the chance to guide Victoria home and fire back at selection bolter Jake Lehmann went begging when Maxwell was controversially given out lbw to a searing Joe Mennie yorker in the middle session.
It was unclear from replays if the ball was missing leg stump as Maxwell tried to angle the ball down to the fine leg boundary.
Maxwell appeared disappointed as he left the field with Victoria at 3-139.
Lehmann, the son of national coach Darren, has piled on 93 and 103 in the same match to put the pressure on frontline contenders for the No. 6 spot including Maxwell, West Australian Hilton Cartwright, Travis Head and veteran Callum Ferguson.
However, Cartwright’s hopes were dealt a major blow when he made a pair of ducks against Steve Smith’s New South Wales, rocking the Test hopeful’s confidence on the eve of the Ashes.
Maxwell, who batted No. 3 on Tuesday to help bolster his Test claims, showed good patience combining with Handscomb to put on 104 together.
Selector Mark Waugh recently said they had a list of candidates “as long as your arm” for the No. 6 spot, while the wicketkeeping position was also up in the air.
Maxwell looked in control for the bulk of his innings and hit five fours and two sixes in the 82-ball innings. He narrowly avoided a scare on three early in the dig, when he attempted to rock out of the way of a Mennie bouncer.
The ball caught the edge of his upright blade and ballooned upwards before falling safely at square leg.
Handscomb, who will bat No. 5 for Australia, also looked good before falling for 58 when he was caught trying to put Zampa over the long-on boundary.
Originally published as Glenn Maxwell hits back-to-back half centuries for Victoria to stay in fame for first Ashes Test
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