Maxwell century powers Australia to victory in Hobart

Glenn Maxwell claimed three wickets and then produced a fluent, unbeaten century to lead his team to a five-wicket win over Eoin Morgan’s men

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Maxwell hit a blistering hundred

England’s Trans-Tasman tri-series began with defeat in Hobart as Australia secured their second victory of the tournament.

Glenn Maxwell claimed three wickets and then produced a fluent, unbeaten century to lead his team to a five-wicket win over Eoin Morgan’s men.

Chasing 156, Australia spluttered through the first over of the chase, losing two wickets in the first four balls. David Warner crunched David Willey’s first delivery for four, the next was clobbered straight to Alex Hales coming in off the boundary rope. Chris Lynn arrived at the crease and would leave it two balls later, the dangerous white-ball batsman bowled by an inswinging jaffa from the left-hander.

From there Hurricanes opener D’Arcy Short, on home soil, and Maxwell fought back in style. The pair added 78 from 48 deliveries before Short (30) fell to a fine caught and bowled effort from Adil Rashid.

From there Maxwell had little assistance (not that he needed it) - with Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head falling cheaply - but he powered his team forward.

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Chris Lynn's bails sent flying by David Willey

There were scares along the way as Alex Hales dropped him in the deep on 40. He was then given not out on review when he was one run short of his fifty. Jason Roy claimed a diving catch but was deemed not to have got his fingers under the ball by the third umpire.

Maxwell would make those lives count, crashing 103 from 58 deliveries, including a six to bring up the century and win the match.

After David Warner had won the toss and put England in, the tourists started on the front foot despite the early loss of Jason Roy (9). 

Malan, playing in his second T20I and Hales took England to 60-1 at the end of the Powerplay as the tourists looked to set a daunting target.

Earlier in the week Dawid Malan said England had to attack Billy Stanlake - who claimed three for 15 in the series opener against New Zealand - and the Middlesex skipper stayed true to his word.

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Maxwell celebrates one of his three wickets

Malan took 16 runs from Stanlake’s second over. The highlights a frame-worthy cover drive and a leg-side six whipped into crowd.

When Hales fell to the first ball after the Powerplay - caught and bowled by Ashton Agar - captain Eoin Morgan entered the fray and set about keeping run rate up alongside Malan.

He would die by the sword looking to propel Maxwell into the Hobart night. But at 94 for three England looked well set to attack 200.

Then came the implosion.

England lost six wickets for 33 runs as their momentum came to a crunching halt. David Willey’s rush of blood to the head, looking to charge down the wicket to Maxwell, perhaps feeling overconfident after hitting Nathan Lyon for 34 in an over on Friday, was the worst dismissal of the bunch.

Chris Jordan’s unbeaten 16 spared England the indignity of failing to see out their overs as the tourists crawled past the 150 mark.

Maxwell would finish with bowling figures of three for 10, but that was merely the prequel to his blockbuster innings with the bat.

 

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