Glenn Maxwell’s “remarkable” Big Bash batting in his last two outings have displayed the things that set him apart from most players and provided even further evidence of the skillset most believe could help him thrive at Test level.
But Maxwell’s dynamic capacity to win white-ball games off his own bat, and the demand that has created for his services for both Australia and led to million-dollar deals around the world, has impacted his opportunity to fully flesh out his baggy green ambitions.
Veteran Melbourne Stars teammate Peter Siddle has seen Maxwell’s work from a young age coming through the Victorian ranks and everything else in between, but even the 40-year-old former Test quick was agog at the efforts of the “Big Show” in last weekend’s Melbourne derby to keep the Stars’ finals hopes alive.
Maxwell blasted 10 sixes in his innings of 90, off 52 balls, and shared an 81-run eight-wicket partnership with spinner Usman Mir, who didn’t score a run.
It followed an unbeaten 58 from Maxwell at the MCG in a win over the Sydney Sixers – both of the emphatic digs coming after he missed selection for the tour of Sri Lanka having “desperately” wanted to have, most likely, one last crack at Test cricket, having played the last of his seven Tests in 2017.
“He’s one of those ones, it’s always happened the way the scheduling is in for our white-ball players is that they tend to not to play much red-ball cricket, and that’s probably affected him over the years why he hasn’t played more Test cricket,” Siddle said.
“His skill set’s definitely good enough to play it … but I guess timing.”
Siddle said Australia’s success against India, taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and securing a place in June’s World Test Championship final, and the potential need to change an already ageing line-up, also went against Maxwell’s chance of going to Sri Lanka.
“The one thing that’s great for Australian cricket is that we won the last Test and qualified for the final later in the year which sort of means that the Sri Lankan series is not as big a deal to an extent, so that probably cost Maxi and Petey Handscomb that opportunity to potentially go there,” he said.
“They could blood some youngsters, have a look at them before that final and (there’s) another window that’s coming up they’re going to have to change some players. As much as it’s disappointing, I can see from a selector to an Australian going forward why he’s (Maxwell) not (going).”
But the Test team’s loss is a gain for the Stars who have Maxwell available for, at least, one more Big Bash marvel in Sunday’s final clash against the Brisbane Heat at the MCG.
The Stars, fourth on the BBL table, will know by then whether they can still make finals.
Siddle said Maxwell had “a little bit left to show everyone”.
“I think that’s a weird one because most guys just perform when they’ve got a lot of opportunity,” Siddle said.
“Maxy is a little bit the opposite, he performs better when he comes in later and he’s under a lot of pressure.
“I think the last three innings that he’s played have all been in that situation, and he’s just got better and better and better. The one the other night was just remarkable, just the way he controlled it, the way he chose who he wanted to score off.
“It’s great to have him as a teammate, and it’s even better to sit back and just watch him go about his job
“He loves playing at the MCG … I’m sure he’s got a little bit left to show everyone.”
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au