Glenn Maxwell warned: get more runs, work harder to earn World Cup spot

The selectors and the skipper have put all-rounder Glenn Maxwell on notice.

Glenn Maxwell on his way to 50 for the Stars in their loss to the Brisbane Heat at the MCG. Picture: Getty Images

Selectors say Glenn Maxwell must score more runs; Steve Smith says he must show more application in the nets — the writing on the wall suggests that if the talented all-rounder fails to heed these messages he will be overlooked for the 2019 World Cup squad.

Maxwell was left out of the ODI squad for the matches against England that follow the Test series. The selectors have opted for short-order hitter Chris Lynn over the Victorian.

It’s a sobering and blunt performance review for the highly talented all-rounder. But it is not the first time he has been omitted for the same reasons. It might, however, be his last chance to change.

Selector Trevor Hohns gave the company line early yesterday.

“No one is in any doubt about Glenn’s ability or his potential to produce match-winning contributions with the bat,” Hohns said. “What we have wanted from him is more consistency but in his past 20 matches in this format he has averaged 22 and we need more than that from a player in the side’s batting engine room.

“Glenn is still absolutely in our thoughts but for this series we have decided to look again at Chris Lynn, who is now back playing once more after the shoulder ­injury that hampered him when we picked him against Pakistan in this format 12 months ago. He has been one of the most feared ­players at domestic level in ­limited-overs cricket in the past couple of years and we want to see if he can convert that domestic form to the international stage.”

There’s more here than meets the eye, and Smith hinted at it later in a press conference when asked what more Maxwell could do.

“Just looking at the way he trains, I think he could train a little bit smarter,” Smith said. “We’ve all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that but when he puts his head down he’s actually a really good batsman, as we’ve seen in Shield cricket.

“He’s got some big runs there. If he keeps his head switched on and trains really well and focuses on basic things probably more than the expansive things then I think that will help him have his consistency. If he’s having those consistent performances he’s certainly a person you want in your team.”

Maxwell was close to Test ­selection at the start of the ­summer on the back of some good Shield performances and was put on standby for the first match.

Scepticism lingers, however, because of the way he approaches the game at training and around the national squad.

A perfectionist like Smith could never be impressed by somebody who took a casual approach to preparation, but the impression about Maxwell was abroad before he took over as captain. Former head of selectors Rod Marsh said the same as Hohns when he cut him from the ODI squad some years back.

Maxwell is deemed to have the X-factor but a poor attitude, but what to make of Lynn’s selection?

Lynn is all X-factor. He has been a liability in the field because of a chronic shoulder injury, which has kept him out of first-class cricket and limits him in the game. He has hamstring problems, too.

He is, Smith points out, one of a few hitters to which the side has access.

“I think we’ve got a really strong side. Lots of power-hitting in the middle with Chris Lynn, Mitch Marsh, (Marcus) Stoinis, guys that have done well,” the skipper said.

The other surprise in the ODI squad was the exclusion of Matthew Wade. The Victorian lost his job in the Test team to Tim Paine and now finds his limited-overs position taken by the same man.

The irony is that Wade was keeping for Tasmania ahead of Paine at the start of the summer.

Hohns said Paine had done enough to warrant playing in all forms.

“Tim forced his way into the Twenty20 International squad last summer, and after coming back into the Test squad at the ­beginning of the Ashes series he has made a terrific contribution with bat and gloves,” he said. “He deserves his opportunity in this form of the game and the ­challenge for Matthew is to return to the type of form that saw him score an ODI hundred against Pakistan last summer.”

Australia has stuck with its three leading fast bowlers but ­indicated they will be rotated through the five-match series, which starts on January 14 at the MCG.

“The three fast bowlers that made key contributions to us ­regaining The Ashes have all been included as we want to have some firepower with the ball ­during this Gillette ODI Series,” Hohns said.

“However, at the same time, we are conscious that they have had heavy workloads during the Tests and so on that basis it is likely we will give each of them some deserved time off at different stages during this series.

“The good thing is we have plenty of depth in the fast ­bowling department in this squad, with Jhye Richardson and Andrew Tye also included.

“Jhye featured in the Twenty­20 International series against Sri Lanka last summer. [He] is someone we have had our eyes on for a while and he is the ­complete package: he bowls with good pace, he has got good ­variations in short-form cricket, is a good fielder and is a handy batsman, too.

“Andrew Tye is in outstanding limited-overs form as he is demonstrating in the KFC Big Bash League. He merits his chance to try and cement a spot in the 50-over side.”