Glenn Maxwell was delighted to be able to keep his cool and smarts under pressure after guiding Australia to a two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Tuesday's ODI with a Man of the Match knock.
Maxwell arrived at the crease at 189-5, requiring 113 off 84 deliveries in pursuit of chasing Sri Lanka's 300-7 in a rain-affected game in Kandy.
The Australian all-rounder bludgeoned a thrilling unbeaten 80 from 51 balls to guide the tourists home with nine balls to spare on D/L method.
Maxwell's knock included 12 boundaries, with six fours and six sixes, reaching his half-century from 35 balls, before accelerating to finish the job and take a 1-0 lead in the five-game ODI series.
"Certainly is [a satisfying knock], coming in when I did," Maxwell said after the game.
"There were a few wickets down and we were under a bit of pressure. To be able to hold together at the end and play, as [coach Andrew McDonald] Ronnie just said, one of my 'smarter innings,' is nice.
"And when conditions aren't as favourable for the batting side, that was really pleasing."
Maxwell's innings came amid pressure from Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasarange who claimed 4-58 including the wickets of Alex Carey and Pat Cummins with Maxwell down the other end.
"I was just trying to stay out there as long as I could," said Maxwell, who took 15 runs off Maheesh Theekshana in the 37th over to lower the run rate required below six.
"I knew I was going to get balls to score off in my areas at some stage, and I was just trying to take risks at the right time.
"I think when the left arm spinner came back on, I think there was only three overs left, I think that was a good opportunity to try and get the run rate down under six, and then try and do it in the next over without letting it get to the last over because all sorts of chaos could happen in the last."
Australia skipper Aaron Finch praised Maxwell for his decisive knock.
"That innings by Maxwell, that was pure class," Finch said. "Showed a lot of skill, lot of game smarts as well. Fantastic chase.
"We were always one wicket behind where we would have liked to have been. We were always two or three down, when we would have liked to have been able to build a partnership but that was an extraordinary innings from Maxwell."
CWI CEO Grave outlines next steps after host countries announced for next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
In June next year, the West Indies, along with the USA, will host their third senior men’s ICC tournament when the cricket world descends upon our region for the ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The West Indies previously hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2007 as well as the second edition of the T20 World Cup two years later.
Last week, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago were announced as the seven Caribbean countries that will host matches along with New York, Texas and Florida in the USA.
CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, described the confirmation of the region as hosts as a “big landmark” in a CWI interview last week and is looking forward to inviting the rest of the world to the Caribbean.
“It’s a big landmark for us at Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the ICC because, having this confirmation now that seven of our host countries have made successful bids to host matches means that a lot of the work and detailed planning that we need to do in order to make the most of this huge opportunity to host out third men’s ICC tournament in the West Indies, and this time in partnership with our friends at USA cricket, can start,” he said.
He also went into what are the next steps in preparing for next year’s festivities.
“The next big step is to get the match schedule agreed with the ICC. We’ve got the ten hist venues. The next stage is to work through the detailed match schedule. This is the first World Cup ever to have 20 teams so it’s a big tournament to organize and there’s a small window from early June to the 30th of June when the final will take place to get all the matches in. We’ve got group stages after the warm-up games. We’ve then got the super eights stage then semi-finals and final so, once that schedule is agreed, then it’s all systems go in terms of tickets being on sale around December to coincide with us welcoming England to the region,” Grave said.
“It’s really important that we get the match schedules announced so that we can invite the world to come to the Caribbean next year,” he added.
Grave also expressed gratitude to the various Governments who put forward successful bids to host matches.
“We’re enormously grateful for the continued support we get from the Governments of the West Indies,” he said.
“All of them that put forward bids have been successful in securing matches which is great news. We’re really looking forward to some of the improvements that those Governments have put forward in their proposals to us and the ICC in terms of ensuring that they are ready for what is the pinnacle of the men’s game currently. It’s a huge opportunity for the region to use the platform of hundreds of millions of fans watching our beautiful countries and our iconic venues and we want everyone in the world to come to the Caribbean and experience what we have to offer,” he added.
While encouraging people from all over the world to make the trip, Grave also urged local fans to come out and support the regional side in their bid for a third World T20 title.
“Absolutely. We’ve seen that unique kind of atmosphere when we hosted the 2018 Women’s World T20 with big crowds in St. Lucia and Antigua when the West Indies played and I’m sure when the West Indies play next June there’ll be big crowds at all the venues,” he said.
“We want every host country to show what a welcoming and exciting place this is to watch and play cricket and it’s really important that the fans come out in their masses. The school children will be invited as part of our community engagement program so that we can show what kind of an atmosphere it is to the world,” Grave added.
Axed Jason Roy urged to remain positive with World Cup role still a possibility
England assistant Marcus Trescothick has urged Jason Roy to remain upbeat despite his World Cup axing, insisting the big-hitting opener could yet make an impression at the tournament.
Even though he was named in England’s provisional 15-man squad for the defence of their crown in India, starting in less than a fortnight, Roy made way for Harry Brook in a dramatic late change to the travelling party.
The decision invited speculation about Roy’s international future, which intensified after he rejected England’s approach to play in three ODIs against Ireland, although the 33-year-old has struggled with back spasms.
Having been invited to be a non-travelling standby for the World Cup, Roy, so crucial to the side that won the trophy in 2019, has been told to keep his spirits up as injury could swing his fortunes.
“I’ve not spoken to Jason,” said Trescothick, an Ashes 2005-winning opening batter. “He’s surely disappointed but you’ve got to remain positive that he can still make an impact.
“Reserves have a big part in World Cups, you pick up one injury and someone comes in, they could come in and make a hell of a lot of runs.
“If he keeps himself fit and ready to go, should we need him to come out then we’ll make that call.”
Trescothick and the rest of the England coaching staff will oversee the final ODI against Ireland at Bristol on Tuesday before embarking to the subcontinent for the World Cup on Wednesday evening.
England’s World Cup squad have been rested for this Metro Bank series, with a shadow side captained by Zak Crawley taking a 1-0 lead at Trent Bridge on Saturday – the first ODI having been abandoned – with Will Jacks one of the standout performers.
Jacks made a sparkling 94 off 88 balls in England’s 48-run win but the array of top-order options they have to choose from means he cannot take his place for granted.
“It was a good opportunity for him to play a longer innings and play a bit more,” Trescothick added.
“We know how much of a talent he is, it’s his opportunity – getting the chance to play is going to be the real challenge for him. It’s a good team, trying to break into it is tough.”
Guyana Amazon Warriors crush TKR by nine wickets on route to historic first CPL title
It was a historic night at Providence as Guyana Amazon Warriors won the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final with a nine-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders, ensuring a maiden CPL title for the franchise.
Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl first, producing a disciplined performance to bowl the Knight Riders out for just 94. Imran Tahir and Gudakesh Motie produced valuable economical spells, while Dwaine Pretorius took four wickets.
It was a nervy chase from the Amazon Warriors in front of a home crowd as the Knight Riders tried to restrict runs with spin. However, Saim Ayub and Shai Hope, the two leading run scorers in CPL this season, would ultimately see the team over the line, winning by nine wickets.
Despite a 24-run opening stand between Chadwick Walton and Mark Deyal, the Knight Riders lost wickets at regular intervals, with three falling to seam bowling in the Powerplay, including key batter Nicholas Pooran for just one.
Captain Kieron Pollard would fall straight after the Powerplay, as spin began to play a vital role, with Motie and Tahir causing havoc, taking a combined four wickets between them and conceding just 15 runs in total.
Keacy Carty would attempt to lead the resistance for the Knight Riders, but as he ran out of partners he found himself taking more risks, eventually falling to a brilliant Shimron Hetmyer catch. The Knight Riders would finish 94 all out.
Guyana Amazon Warriors lost the early wicket of Keemo Paul, who was opening, which added tension to their chase. Knight Riders would deploy both Akeal Hosein and Sunil Narine in the Powerplay in an attempt to prise more wickets, but the Amazon Warriors would end the Powerplay on 29-1.
Saim Ayub and Shai Hope would show the form that has led to them leading the run scoring charts this season, combining to take the Amazon Warriors to victory, Ayub bringing up his half century with a six from the last ball of the chase, to take the Warriors to a maiden CPL title win.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 99-1 (Ayub 52*, Hope 32*; Hosein 1-21) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 94 all out (Carty 38, Deyal 16; Pretorius 4-26, Motie 2-7) by 9 wickets.
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