BBL11: Stars skipper Glenn Maxwell hits highest score in tournament history against Hurricanes
Glenn Maxwell has put the BBL back on the map with an awe-inspiring innings one of his rivals described as “the most incredible thing” he’s ever seen.
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Teammates and opponents have heaped praise on T20 superstar Glenn Maxwell, with one describing his record-breaking innings of 154 not out against the Hobart Hurricanes as “the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen on a cricket field”.
Maxwell’s outrageous 64-ball innings surpassed Marcus Stoinis’ previous Big Bash record of 147 not out set in 2019/20, and propelled the Melbourne Stars to a scarcely believable 2-273 off their 20 overs, which smashed the previous highest team total of 232.
Fittingly, Stoinis was at the other end when Maxwell passed his record on Wednesday night at the MCG.
“Yeah, it’s going to take me a few days to get over that I think (laughs),” A smiling Stoinis said post-game.
“I actually said to him when he was on like 120 or 130, ‘you better get 150’. I said ‘don’t you slog and hit one down the chimney and get out’.”
It was a mark of just how big Maxwell’s innings was that Stoinis’ incredible knock of 75 off 31 balls — one of the season’s most dominant — was largely overshadowed.
154 runs
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 19, 2022
64 balls
22 fours
4 sixes
241 strike rate
Glenn Maxwell talks about the biggest individual score in BBL history #BBL11pic.twitter.com/gkKPistd2D
Incredibly, he hammered six sixes in his short innings and said he would look back fondly on the night.
“It’s as much fun as you can have in cricket really, especially on a ground like this. It’s arguably the biggest ground in the world so to make 270-odd — that’s 300 at most other grounds.”
The BBL’s leading runscorer Ben McDermott, who scored 55 for the Hurricanes in a losing cause, did not hesitate to admit the Maxwell innings was unsurpassed in his eyes.
“The most incredible thing I’ve ever seen on a cricket field,” he said.
“I don’t think anything will top that. It was the perfect storm, I suppose. We didn’t bowl very well and he played out of his skin. Absolutely special, world class.”
Maxy brings up 150! 🤯 🙌
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 19, 2022
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While the huge 106-run victory (the seventh-biggest in BBL history) saw the Stars’ season finish on a high, they conclude the campaign outside the finals race and will reflect on it as one that got away given their talented list.
Perhaps even more frustratingly, the sixth-placed Stars miss the finals despite finishing with more wins (seven) than the fourth-placed Adelaide Strikers (six) owing to fewer ‘Bash Boosh’ points accumulated throughout the season.
And while Maxwell had openly admitted his side, a number of which caught Covid-19 throughout the season, were “cooked” towards the back-end, Stoinis said there was frustration on the back of another season outside the top five.
“If we probably didn’t play so well these last two games, we’d probably be more relieved it was the end of the season. But the fact that we’ve put together two really good games, not only good games but entertained and done the Big Bash and Stars proud, that sort of hurts a bit that now it’s come to an end.”
For the Hurricanes, they return to the MCG on Friday for the ‘Eliminator’ final against the Adelaide Strikers, where Ashes hero Scott Boland is expected to play.
Maxy gets the second fastest Big Bash century ever! 🤯🤩
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 19, 2022
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RECORD-BREAKING MAXI SENDS BBL INTO NEW DIMENSION
Glenn Maxwell smashed the Big Bash’s first ever 150 and propelled his Melbourne Stars side to the competition’s biggest ever total in a night where record after record tumbled at the MCG.
Celebrating his 100th BBL game, the Stars skipper completed one of the most dominant milestone games ever in Australian sport, bringing up a century off just 41 balls against the Hobart Hurricanes.
The Stars total of 2-273 crushed the previous best Big Bash total of 232, as the men in green plundered the Hurricanes attack to all parts with no bowler conceding less than 10 runs an over.
Maxwell’s innings of 154 not out (off 64 balls) beat the previous best individual effort set by teammate Marcus Stoinis (147 not out), who was with his mate in the middle as the record fell.
It was a mark just how big Maxwell’s innings was that Stoinis’ incredible knock of 75 off 31 balls — one of the season’s most dominant — was largely overshadowed on the night.
“What a pleasure to watch that,” Australian legend Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket.
UTTERLY ABSURD
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) January 19, 2022
Glenn Maxwell and the Melbourne Stars have pulled out one of the greatest batting displays in T20 cricket. #BBL11pic.twitter.com/YLSez1p2hz
“That was just extraordinary. Not the toughest bowling line-up they (Maxwell and Stoinis) will ever face but you’ve still got to do it. You’ve still got to execute; the power, the touch, the precision and the energy to bat that long.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan joined in the plaudits.
“He’s such a player,” Vaughan said of Maxwell.
We don’t feel so bad now. We bowled well @StarsBBL@MichaelVaughan@gilly381@MarkHoward03#dragons#maxi#maximumspic.twitter.com/S9lM18Hfsz
— Northcote CC (@nccdragons) January 19, 2022
“He’s got such immense ability to be able to hit the ball to all parts of the ground … it was an amazing innings, he almost knew where the ball was going to be (bowled).”
An exhausted Maxwell, who has suffered a recent bout of Covid-19, drew raucous applause from a delighted MCG crowd as he walked off the ground.
With their season ended 24 hours prior when the Hurricanes sealed the fifth available finals spot, the Stars seemingly turned up angry at the MCG.
Maxwell and Englishman Joe Clarke hammered 0-63 off the opening four overs, and from there never looked back.
The Australian all-rounder mixed the powerful with the sublime, perhaps best underlined by a reverse sweep over fine leg which some dubbed the shot of the summer.
Maxwell had luck, as three skied balls fell between fielders throughout his innings and a tough chance was dropped at deep mid-wicket when he was already on 135, but chances were few.
His 41-ball innings fell just short of breaking Craig Simmons’ record-breaking 39-ball knock in 2013/14.
“I have no doubt someone will break the fastest 100 record eventually, but I don’t reckon anyone will work in the morning before playing then grab chicken treat on the way to the ground,” Simmons quipped on Twitter.
DOUBLE HAT-TRICK . AND THEN YOU’RE SACKED
Leg-spinner Cameron Boyce has been cut by the Melbourne Renegades on the same day as he became the first player in Big Bash history to take a double hat-trick.
The Brisbane based leg-spinner was told his contract with the club would not be renewed just three hours before he took four wickets in four balls against the Sydney Thunder at the MCG on Wednesday.
It will be his final performance for the club.
Boyce, who joined the Renegades three seasons ago, was reportedly chastened by the unexpected and poorly timed news but it spurred him to produce a stunning performance.
Boyce has only played four games for the Renegades this season after being unavailable early in the tournament.
His 5-21 against the Thunder boosted his returns to 10 wickets at an average of 10 with the excellent economy rate of 6.4 runs per over.
His haul was the best figures ever by a Renegade bowler and the first time in the 11 summer history of the Big Bash a bowler had taken a double hat-trick.
At age 32 and the sixth highest wicket-taker in Big Bash history, the former international still has much to offer and is likely to be snapped up by another franchise.
The Thunder had motored to 80 runs in seven overs with openers Usman Khawaja and Alex Hales in control before Boyce struck.
Hales was first to fall to Boyce lofting down the ground. Next over Boyce took three wickets in consecutive balls to make it four in four.
Boyce had Jason Sangha stumped with a well-flighted delivery then claimed Alex Ross and Daniel Sams lbw for golden ducks. Later he dismissed Matthew Gilkes for his five-wicket haul and he also deflected a shot off his own bowling onto the stumps to have Ben Cutting run out for 20.
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