T20 World Cup: Australia vs New Zealand at SCG, news and scores

Glenn Maxwell the Big Show? Think again. Maxwell is much more than a highlights reel for Australia and determined to prove it under the blowtorch of a home tournament.

In a line-up of quicks who will go down as all-time greats of the game, Australia has declared Glenn Maxwell the most critical bowling weapon of its World Cup defence.

Maxwell’s batting has been under the microscope in the lead-up to the tournament following a run of low scores, but the reality is the x-factor is perhaps the most undroppable member of the Australian juggernaut.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the bowler of the tournament at last year’s World Cup and the formidable trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are all heavy-duty match-winners in every format.

Yet Australian coach Andrew McDonald says it’s ‘part-timer’ Maxwell who set his team apart and tactically paved the way for its history-making success.

Maxwell has often been misunderstood or even maligned by Australian teams and selectors over the years as an enigma. The round peg they couldn’t fit into a square hole.

On the scoresheets at least, Maxwell didn’t have a major impact on the team’s drought-breaking T20 triumph in the UAE last year.

Can Glenn Maxwell find form in time to launch Australia to a home World Cup?

But this Australian side views Maxwell through a new prism, and it’s not just about the Big Show scoring big runs.

“We like to consider ‘Maxi’ a frontline bowler but he probably doesn’t get put in that discussion,” said McDonald.

“I think Glenn Maxwell is the key to our bowling.

“If we were to get thrown in conditions where the second spinner becomes critically important, that’s the luxury of having Glenn Maxwell in the team. He’s that three-dimensional player.

“He allowed us in the UAE to be able to play the way that we wanted.

“He didn’t have the World Cup that he probably wanted, but just by being in the team, just the way we were able to structure up, allowed us that freedom.

“Now if you don’t have Glenn Maxwell there, clearly then you’ve got a debate about shrinking down your batting and playing two spinners, which most of the other teams tended to do.”

English players celebrate the removal of Glenn Maxwell in a warm-up game.

Maxwell’s rise to now being considered a ‘frontline’ bowling option by Australia has not happened by accident.

When the 34-year-old is thrown the ball by Aaron Finch these days, he views himself as a wicket-taker not an over-filler.

“To be able to be relied on to bowl and be an impact bowler, not just be a guy who gets through his overs quick, but an impact bowler who can get wickets and slow the run rate down is something that has taken time and a bit of developing, but I feel really confident with it at the moment,” Maxwell told News Corp.

“I’ve put a lot of hard work in behind the scenes. A couple of pre-seasons with Victoria where I’ve been able to sit down and actually do some work on it and do some filming and tinker with some other things.

“When I’ve been playing IPL and Big Bash, I’ve been bowling a fair bit, and the more I bowled in those competitions, the more I became more viable for the Australian side in limited overs cricket and having a set role in that team has allowed me to get into the game a bit easier and it means my bowling can become a bonus as well.”

Glenn Maxwell celebrates a wicket in Cairns against New Zealand.

Maxwell is a triple threat for the Aussies.

Maxwell’s experience also becomes a vital factor, as one of a handful of Australian stars who has the experience of what it’s like to conquer the unique pressure of a home World Cup and lift the trophy at the MCG in front of 100,000 people.

In 2015, Maxwell was part of the Australian side that overcame a crushing loss to New Zealand early in that tournament and major trouble in a quarter-final against Pakistan to live-up to the enormous expectations put on the team.

He knows what it takes.

“In the lead-up to the 2015 World Cup, we actually addressed how important it was to embrace the stresses of being favourites and having that World Cup at home,” said Maxwell.

“We were the No.1 team in the world at that stage. There was a lot of expectation.

“We had different players from the last crop that hosted the World Cup (in 1992) and those players came in and spoke to the group which was really cool – talking about the experiences they had and the expectations they felt.

“We were able to basically just address it and move on.

“The way our group is playing T20 cricket, I don’t think it fazes us too much.

“The big moments that happen in games, we don’t get overawed by it. We don’t try and shy away from it.

“It feels like we embrace it as a group and try and take it head on.”

RADICAL TRAINING TECHNIQUES BEHIND AUSSIE REVELATION

Tim David has been tipped to become the game’s greatest master blaster after bringing golf training techniques into cricket.

Born in Singapore, Australia’s newest superstar is an international man of mystery who after being snubbed by the conventional system, has reinvented the wheel by deliberately dedicating himself to perfecting a niche role in Twenty20 cricket no one else in the country had been able to do.

It can be revealed David’s cyclonic batting style started when he downloaded a golf training program at home, and his unique confidence to continue doing it his way has led one of Australia’s greatest ever white ball cricketers, Shane Watson, to declare the ‘Singapore Slugger’ a generational phenomenon.

“In the most recent IPL when he played for the Mumbai Indians, he played two games against the Delhi Capitals who I was coaching and some of the shots he hit from ball one, I haven’t seen too many people ever do that,” Watson told News Corp.

“He’s as good as I’ve ever seen.

“There’s only a couple of people in the world of T20 cricket who have been able to come in and dominate at the back end of an innings – Andre Russell is one in particular – but Tim David is more technically correct than Russell.

Tim David has the potential to shake up T20 cricket with his ability to attack from the first ball he faces. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images)

“His conventional cricket shots go miles and that’s the reason why against all types of bowling I believe he’s going to be consistent, which is the hardest thing to do when you’re a power hitter.

“What he has done is something very special. We are very fortunate to have him here in Australia.”

David’s unique journey in breaking the mould peaked earlier this year when he actually turned down a debut selection for Australia – unheard of in past generations.

But the 26-year-old has had the self-belief and the courage to navigate his own path and isn’t bothered by the fact many Australians will still tune in for Saturday night’s sold out opener against New Zealand asking, ‘Tim who?’

“I hadn’t thought about that much to be honest,” David told News Corp.

“I’m not that bothered about what the perception is, I’m just happy to do my role in the team. I’ve been made to feel really welcome by everyone in the squad so I couldn’t really ask for much more.

“I’m very excited. We feel really well prepared … we’re ready to go.”

David’s low profile isn’t entirely accidental. He turns down a lot of interviews and stays away from social media.

Averaging almost 40 at a strike rate of 160, David doesn’t fail often considering the high risk career he leads, but when he does, he reminds himself that if you want to see the rainbow, you’ve got to see some rain.

“He’s accepted there will be days that don’t work. But the days that do work are quite spectacular and it’s a genuinely match winning role,” said David’s personal cricket coach, Jim Allenby.

“It’s such a fickle sport anyway but his role is extremely fickle. And him having the emotional intelligence to understand it … and sometimes our messages after a game when he’s got one of three balls and skied one is an emoji of a rainbow and rain. He gets over stuff real quick.”

Ricky Ponting has compared Tim David’s match-winning ability to that of Andrew Symonds at the 2023 ODI world cup. Picture: Richard Dobson

Australian legend Ricky Ponting has likened David’s arrival in the T20 side to when the late and great Andrew Symonds burst onto the scene at the 2003 ODI World Cup, and has declared David can deliver his country back-to-back title glory.

Allenby – cousin of golfing great Robert Allenby – has opened up about caddying for an unassuming and largely anonymous figure to mainstream Australian fans, who has somehow changed the game with his ability to cannon sixes from ball one.

“When he came out of the Australian system (having never played a Sheffield Shield game) it was a pretty natural thing to do to focus his game on T20 skills,” said Allenby.

“It became really obvious the role he was going to target because no one was doing it really, really well, consistently in Australian cricket. He was quite clever.

“It frustrates me at times when people think hitting is just about clearing your front leg and swinging as hard as you can because there is so much more to it than that.

“I liken it to bowling at 150km/h. You need to have a lot of natural attributes, but you also have to have a very sound technique to be able to repeat that.”

9000KM IN 13 DAYS: AUSTRALIA’S HORROR WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

-Callum Dick

Despite hosting the T20 World Cup, Australia has been handed the worst travel schedule of all 12 teams competing in the group stages, with the reigning champions set to compile almost 9000km through the air over the next fortnight.

Aaron Finch told reporters last week some players within the Australian camp were battling fatigue on the eve of their World Cup title defence and the team would enjoy “a couple of off-days” before the opener against New Zealand this Saturday to “allow guys to get away and recharge”.

And an analysis of the group stage fixtures suggests Australia is right to be cautious in its pre-tournament managing of players, with the hosts due to fly 8997km to play their five pool games over a 13-day span.

Despite hosting the T20 World Cup, Australia has been handed the worst travel schedule of any nation. Picture: Getty Images.

That figure is in stark contrast to some of its key title challengers, most notably Saturday’s opponents New Zealand, who will travel just 3784km over the same period.

In fact, Australia will travel more than 1000km further than any other team featuring in its pool.

The Group A qualification winner – one of Namibia, Sri Lanka, UAE or the Netherlands – will travel 7807km, while Afghanistan and England total 5706km and 4836km respectively.

The major factor is of course the cross-country trips to play in Perth – something New Zealand will avoid doing entirely, with the knockout stages based on the east coast.

The Kiwis also play four of their five group games in the east, while England gets an extra day’s rest over its five-game schedule compared to the rest of its pool.

England, Afghanistan and the Group B runner-up will all play back-to-back games in Melbourne, limiting their travel requirements.

England will travel 4000km less than Australia during the group stages of the T20 World Cup. Picture: Getty Images.

In the other pool, Bangladesh doubles up in Adelaide while Pakistan will play consecutive games in Perth.

Australia’s gruelling group stage schedule comes off the back of a jam packed pre-tournament lead-in which included a three-match series in India, before warm-up games against the West Indies and India in Queensland, book-ending a three-game series against England in Perth and Canberra.

A number of key players including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Starc did not fly to Perth to face England, with Australia rotating its playing squad heavily during the pre-tournament schedule.

Finch cautioned against pessimism after Australia’s winless run of form against England and India, claiming the team’s only interest was to reach its peak playing potential during the World Cup.

Some have questioned Australia’s mix-and-match team selection during the pre-tournament process however given the gruelling travel schedule to come, particularly when compared to some of its key title rivals, it could turn out to be the correct call.

The Aussies will travel more than 5000km further than their trans-Tasman rivals during the group stages. Picture: Getty Images.

TEAM TRAVEL SCHEDULES

AUSTRALIA (Group 1)

Sat Oct 22 v New Zealand (Sydney, SCG)

Tue Oct 25 v Group A winner (Perth, Perth Stadium )

Fri Oct 28 v England (Melbourne, MCG)

Mon Oct 31 v Group B Runner-Up (Brisbane, Gabba)

Fri Nov 4 v Afghanistan (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 8997km in 13 days

GROUP B WINNER(Group 2)

Mon Oct 24 v South Africa (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Thu Oct 27 v Pakistan (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Sun Oct 30 v Bangladesh (Brisbane, Gabba)

Wed Nov 2 v Group A Runner-up (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

Sat Nov 6 v India (Melbourne, MCG)

TOTAL: 8898km in 13 days

SOUTH AFRICA (Group 2)

Mon Oct 24 v Group B Winner (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Thu Oct 27 v Bangladesh (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Oct 30 v India (Perth, Perth Stadum)

Thu Nov 3 v Pakistan (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Nov 6 v Group A Runner-up (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 8772km in 13 days

GROUP A WINNER (Group 1)

Sun Oct 23 v Group B Runner-up (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Tues Oct 25 v Australia (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Sat Oct 29 v New Zealand (Sydney, SCG)

Tues Nov 1 v Afghanistan (Brisbane, Gabba)

Sat Nov 5 v England (Sydney, SCG)

TOTAL: 7807km in 13 days

PAKISTAN (Group 2)

Sun Oct 23 v India (Melbourne, MCG)

Thu Oct 27 v Group B Winner (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Sun Oct 30 v Group A Runner-up (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Thu Nov 3 v Pakistan (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Nov 6 v Bangladesh (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 7157km in 14 days

INDIA (Group 2)

Sun Oct 23 v Pakistan (Melbourne, MCG)

Thu Oct 27 v Group A Runner-up (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Oct 30 v South Africa (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Wed Nov 2 v Bangladesh (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

Sun Nov 6 v Group B Winner (Melbourne, MCG)

TOTAL: 6752km in 14 days

GROUP A RUNNER-UP (Group 2)

Mon Oct 24 v Bangladesh (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Thu Oct 27 v India (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Oct 30 v Pakistan (Perth, Perth Stadim)

Wed Nov 2 v Group B Winner (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

Sun Nov 6 v South Africa (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 6441km in 13 days

AFGHANISTAN(Group 1)

Sat Oct 22 v England (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Wed Oct 26 v New Zealand (Melbourne, MCG)

Fri Oct 28 v Group B Runner-up (Melbourne, MCG)

Tue Nov 1 v Group A Winner (Brisbane, Gabba)

Fri Nov 4 v Australia (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 5706km in 13 days

ENGLAND (Group 1)

Sat Oct 22 v Afghanistan (Perth, Perth Stadium)

Wed Oct 26 v Group B Runner-up (Melbourne, MCG)

Fri Oct 28 v Australia (Melbourne, MCG)

Tue Nov 1 v New Zealand (Brisbane, Gabba)

Sat Nov 5 v Group A Winner (Sydney, SCG)

TOTAL: 4836km in 14 days

NEW ZEALAND (Group 1)

Sat Oct 22 v Australia (Sydney, SCG)

Wed Oct 26 v Afghanistan (Melbourne, MCG)

Sat Oct 29 v Group A Winner (Sydney, SCG)

Tue Nov 1 v England (Brisbane, Gabba)

Fri Nov 4 v Group B Runner-up (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 3784km in 13 days

GROUP B RUNNER-UP (Group 1)

Sun Oct 23 v Group A Winner (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Wed Oct 26 v England (Melbourne, MCG)

Fri Oct 28 v Afghanistan (Melbourne, MCG)

Mon Oct 31 v Australia (Brisbane, Gabba)

Fri Nov 4 v New Zealand (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 3617km in 12 days

BANGLADESH (Group 2)

Mon Oct 24 v Group A Runner-up (Hobart, Bellerive Oval)

Thu Oct 27 v South Africa (Sydney, SCG)

Sun Oct 30 v Group B Winner (Brisbane, Gabba)

Wed Nov 2 v India (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

Sun Nov 6 v Pakistan (Adelaide, Adelaide Oval)

TOTAL: 3409km in 13 days

Originally published as T20 World Cup: Australia vs New Zealand at SCG, news and scores