Glenn Maxwell the perfect weapon to take full advantage of one of the controversial new Big Bash rules
The new Big Bash rules have been ridiculed by some, but there’s one that batting dynamo Glenn Maxwell could use to his massive advantage.
Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell and the new Big Bash “power surge” could combine to create tournament history, according to his coach David Hussey.
Amid rumblings from big names including Michael Clarke, who never played BBL, and Shane Watson about the “gimmicky” nature of the changes for this season, teams have been plotting the best way to use them to their advantage.
The “power surge” gives the batting team the opportunity to get two extra overs, outside the opening four-over power play, with just two fielders outside the inner fielding circle.
The batting side can call for it at any point from the 11th over of their innings.
National duties kept Maxwell from his Stars teammates until Wednesday when he and Hussey were set to thrash out their season plans, which had been happening via constant text message.
Maxwell was at his big-hitting best for Australia too, swatting 14 sixes across the ODI and T20 series against India.
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Hussey said his swashbuckling captain, who has “so many different ideas and innovations” and floats in his team’s batting order, could be the man to take full advantage of the power surge in his team’s opening clash against the Brisbane Heat in Canberra on Friday.
“I can’t wait for it. Glenn Maxwell faces his first five or six balls and then calls the power play with only two fielders out,” Hussey said.
“He’ll be one of the best players to take on the power play in the middle overs. He might be the first person in BBL history to hit six sixes in an over.”
Hussey is a fan of the new rules, which he said could make all teams less predictable.
“If you all become so structured and predictable teams can plan for you; this way every game is going to be a surprise for other teams,” he said.
“It’s going to be interesting how we implement our batting order but also how other teams implement their bowling strategies against us”.
Who’s looking forward to #BBL10? 😇#TeamGreen pic.twitter.com/TUbGtnKklg
— Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL) December 8, 2020
Beaten finalists in the Big Bash last year, and early favourites to win this year, the Stars’ planning had been difficult with Hussey’s key men, including Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, not joining the group until just days before the opener.
“We haven’t got everything we need done to get ready. The communication with Glenn has been texting back and forth and a few phone calls but not too much. I don’t want to take his focus away from playing for Australia,” Hussey said.
“Knowing Glenn, he has so many different strategies and ideas and innovations he wants to implement to make sure we get better. He has his theories, I have mine, and we’ll come together and thrash it all out.”
A side injury to Stoinis also makes it “unlikely” he will bowl at all during the tournament, while the Stars also lost his opening partner and marquee signing Jonny Bairstow.
“It’s a loss. Jonny is arguably one of the best openers going around,” Hussey said.
“But we’ve got other batters like Hilton Cartwright, we just signed (West Indian) Andre Fletcher, they can all open the batting.”
Glenn Maxwell in the third #AUSvIND T20I ⬇ï¸
— ICC (@ICC) December 8, 2020
ðŸ 54 (36)
â˜ï¸ 1/20
He was also the third-highest run-scorer in the series for Australia 💥 pic.twitter.com/oCiDcP8sKD
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