Analysis: Check out the seven things we learned from Australia’s 2-1 series win over England
It was the moment Glenn Maxwell reminded the world just how special he is. Has Australia found its new finisher? Check out the seven things we learned from our tour of England – and what it means for our summer.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It was the moment Glenn Maxwell reminded the world just how special he is. Has Australia found its new “finisher?”
What else did we learn from the tour of England?
Ben Horne looks at the big takeaways and what it means for our summer and the Big Bash.
Watch every ball of Australia’s Tour of England Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >
GLENN MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE MARKED BY CONVENTIONAL STANDARDS
Wednesday night’s extraordinary matchwinning hundred in Manchester is living proof that the best of Glenn Maxwell is a level most players can’t reach. Not dissimilar to Andrew Symonds, Maxwell is not a conventional player and as such, should not be marked by conventional standards. Sure, he can be frustrating at times – but Maxwell can just do special things. His 108 runs off 90 balls batting at No. 7 is one of the more stunning white ball innings in recent memory. Australia were 5-73 chasing 302 when he came to the crease, and it goes without saying, nine times out of 10, teams just don’t win from there. Plenty would argue No. 7 is too low down the order for Maxwell, but with Australia’s middle-order wobbles, perhaps his best spot is as the finisher.
IS THERE CAUSE FOR CONCERN WITH STEVE SMITH?
The Australian batsman missed all three ODI matches after copping a head knock in the nets on the eve of the series. Despite the fact Smith passed two concussion tests, the Australian camp reported he still felt groggy after his final net session before the finale in Manchester on Wednesday night. It remains to be seen what game plan India have for him this summer, but it would appear plenty of short stuff might be on the menu. Smith is a warrior but it’s now the second time he’s missed international cricket due to concussion issues, after the blow he took to Jofra Archer in last year’s Ashes. Well done to the Australian medical staff for keeping Smith out of the action despite the fact he’d passed his tests. Clearly the tests are only one part of the equation and putting player safety ahead of the result should be recognised.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD IS A MAGNIFICENT CRICKETER
The pillar of Australia’s game in all formats is still their bowling. Mitchell Starc starting the series decider with two wickets off the first two balls, was confirmation he’s the most devastating ODI wicket-taker in world cricket. Pat Cummins’ breathtaking ball to clean bowl Jonny Bairstow out of nowhere showed why he’s arguably the game’s best all-format fast bowler. Adam Zampa claimed 10 wickets across the three 50-over matches and is a hugely underrated performer. But this series was a reminder that although he’s had a limited white ball career, Josh Hazlewood is a terrifically important player. A great cold starter, Hazlewood looked like he’d been playing for months and his three-wicket haul in the opening ODI was one of the most clinical performances you would see from a bowler in the batting-friendly arena of white ball cricket. The only downside to seeing Hazlewood flourish once again in the ODI side was the nagging feeling of what might have been had he been picked in last year’s World Cup.
COVID CRICKET CAN STILL BE EXCITING, BUT LIFE IS TOUGH FOR BROADCASTERS WITHOUT CROWDS
Some of the sensational finishes in the six-game white ball series, capped off with Wednesday night’s thriller showed that you don’t necessarily need a crowd to witness great cricket. That said, there was still plenty of evidence to support why broadcasters are fearing for the BBL product this summer if there are largely empty terraces. The sight of professional cricketers hunting around under seats and car parks is a far cry from the lively fan flavour that has been quintessential of the BBL. Test cricket can hide over it pretty well (particularly if networks use the fake crowd noise that worked so well for the NRL and AFL), but in Twenty20 cricket in particular, the ball is disappearing over the fence so often, you can’t avoid the elephant in the room. Perhaps cricket could look at something similar to the NBA, and get some big LED screens to surround the boundary fence?
MARNUS IS GEARING UP
There was no big score from last year’s run machine, but Marnus Labuschagne is ticking over very nicely heading into the biggest assignment of his career against India. Labuschagne looked busy for his scores of 21, 48 and 20 in the three ODIs and although that’s not setting the world on fire stuff, he looks every bit the cricketer who now knows his game inside out and trusts it implicitly. Didn’t nail it, but could be the key middle order anchorman – like Mike Hussey – Australia has been searching for ahead of the next 50-over World Cup. Australia played some excellent cricket, particularly given they were coming in cold after six months off – but they also butchered the opening T20 and second ODI with horrific collapses. Side is developing nicely, but still opportunities there for middle-order bats.
MITCHELL MARSH HAS TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY
The all-rounder might have failed in his final two outings, but there was enough shown by Mitchell Marsh in England to suggest he should be in the mix for a Test recall this summer. The Test team is likely to have a disrupted preparation due to quarantine restrictions, and an all-rounder will be essential. Unless selectors are flirting with the idea of blooding exciting rookie Cameron Green, Marsh has to be a candidate for No.6. Has been a frustrating cricketer, but he still shapes as the missing piece of the puzzle.
ALEX CAREY TIMELY REMINDER
Demoted from the vice-captaincy before the tour, and dropped during the Twenty20 series for Matthew Wade, Wednesday night’s remarkable maiden ODI hundred was a massive one for Alex Carey. Tim Paine’s Test career is showing no sign of finishing any time soon, but it was important for Carey to reassert himself as the next in line. Carey gave a timely reminder that he is an extremely cool head under pressure and 106 off 114 balls batting at No. 6 and with wickets falling around him, was absolutely superb. Had a good World Cup last year and was important he consolidated in England. Big tick.
GAME RECAP: MAXWELL REVEALS SECRET TO HISTORY-MAKING TON
Barnstorming Aussie batsman Glenn Maxwell hailed the “clarity” he was given from one-day captain Aaron Finch during training sessions in lockdown as key to his history-making Manchester innings which took down England.
Maxwell was named man of the match and man of the series after belting his second ODI century and, with fellow century maker Alex Carey, rescuing Australia from 5-73 to help the tourists score a famous victory.
A lusty 11 runs off just three balls from Mitchell Starc pushed the Aussies past England’s total 7-302 after Maxwell and Carey put on a record 212-run partnership, sealing a 2-1 series win.
It was England’s first ODI series loss at home for five years.
Batting at number seven in his new role as the “finisher” for the Aussie team, Maxwell became the fastest ever player to reach 3000 runs, finishing with 108 off just 90 balls.
The right-hander said while training in lockdown in Melbourne, Finch gave Maxwell the ammunition he needed to deliver in his return to international cricket, having taken a break from the game last summer.
“I was lucky that I was able to train with Finchy during lockdown and we were able to talk about my role and talk about certain things and I had so much clarity on what he expected from me,” Maxwell said.
“I think that gave me good clarity out there, I was able to take the game on with the clarity he gave me before the tournament started and ride on that momentum and knowing I had the backing of him was awesome.
“I always feel like I have batted better for Australia when we have been in a bit of trouble. To be able to get us through that and to a position we could win the game was really pleasing.”
Maxwell said he thought he had nothing to lose when he walked to the wicket to join Carey after Marnus Labuschagne was run out in the 17th over.
“I was thinking we haven’t got much to lose so I had a bit of freedom to try and take the bowling on and put some pressure on them,” Maxwell said.
“I suppose coming in 5-73 it’s probably hit or bust at that stage. Once we started to build that partnership, took a couple of risks early and got away with them, having heaps of trust in my own technique and my partner at the other end … for that to grow in to a really big partnership was pretty awesome.”
Maxwell paid tribute to Carey who registered his maiden ODI century in his 39th game and went past 1000 runs in the process.
What a game ... One of the great ODI partnerships ... what an end to the men’s Bubble ... Great effort by all players involved ... the drama we have seen this summer has been incredible ... thanks for listening & watching @bbctms !!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 16, 2020
“I really enjoyed the partnership, seeing him get his first ODI hundred is pretty nice, he works so damn hard,” Maxwell said.
“He’s one of the great guys to be around, I see him every day, he makes me smile. To see him get the rewards at the other end was extremely special and to beat the number one team on their home soil was awesome.”
Australia’s success was all the more creditable as star batsman Steve Smith missed the entire series after suffering a head injury batting in the nets.
Earlier, Jonny Bairstow had revived England from the depths of 0-2 with a superb hundred that saw them to 302-7.
Opening batsman Bairstow watched from the other end as left-arm quick Starc removed Jason Roy and Joe Root with the first two balls of the game.
But Bairstow counter-attacked superbly and his innings of 112 was the cornerstone of England’s eventual 302-7, with Sam Billings (57) and Chris Woakes (53 not out) making valuable fifties.
Pace bowler Woakes then took the first two wickets to fall, having Australia captain Aaron Finch lbw and Marcus Stoinis caught off a leading edge at midwicket to leave the tourists 31-2.
And Australia were 55-4 when Morgan saw his decision to bring on part-time off-spinner Joe Root rewarded by the Test captain taking two wickets for three runs in six balls.
MORE CRICKET
Big Bash League: Dan Christian says getting Aussie internationals to play is the ‘final frontier’
Revealed: Channel 7’s dramatic declaration in TV rights war
Cricket Australia, Channel 7 TV war to financially destroy broadcaster
Root, out for a golden duck, clean bowled David Warner (24) with a fine delivery that angled into the left-hander before turning sharply away as the opener completed a poor series that yielded just 36 runs.
Root then had all-rounder Mitchell Marsh spooning a simple catch to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
And when Marnus Labuschagne was run out, Australia were 73-5 in the 17th over.
But the big-hitting Maxwell, the last of Australia’s recognised batsmen, took advantage of a short boundary and brought up an 84-ball hundred with his seventh six, off medium-pacer Tom Curran.
Originally published as Analysis: Check out the seven things we learned from Australia’s 2-1 series win over England
Join the conversation
Smith issue emerges, team rocked by rumour
With the final verdict on Cameron Green’s injury set to impact Test selection, a former opener is adamant where Steve Smith should bat.
Read more
Australian cricket prodigy’s stunning return from injury
Just months after suffering a fractured leg, one of Australia’s best cricket prospects Oliver Peake has taken his game to new heights with a “gutsy” innings in some of the world’s toughest conditions.
Read more