Glenn Maxwell has never been known to take a cautious approach. He’s not exactly highly regarded for his risk mitigation at the crease.
During Australia’s recent World Cup clash against Pakistan in Bengaluru, the Victorian departed for a golden duck after attempting a reckless slog against seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi. A few days later, he blasted Australia’s fastest hundred in ODI history, reaching triple figures in just 40 deliveries against the Netherlands in Delhi.
If you can‘t handle ‘The Big Show’ at his worst, then you don’t deserve him at his best.
Maxwell boasts the highest strike rate in World Cup history (minimum ten innings), something he couldn’t have achieved without a nonchalant approach to batting, where finding the boundary rope is prioritised over protecting his wicket.
This week’s golf cart mishap, albeit unfortunate, feels befitting for an athlete who recently recovered from a gruesome leg break sustained during some lighthearted horseplay at a birthday party.
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After playing 36 rounds of golf on Monday, rather than walking 300 metres to the team bus, Maxwell and his weary teammates hopped on the back of a packed golf cart. It was dark and late. He lost his grip and fell off the moving vehicle.
The 35-year-old later demonstrated concussion symptoms, entering an eight-day concussion protocol. He will subsequently miss this weekend’s blockbuster World Cup clash against England in Ahmedabad, but has already resumed light training.
Maxwell joins wicketkeepers Jonny Bairstow and Josh Inglis on a growing list of professional cricketers to suffer freak injuries on a golf course, all of which have occurred within the last 18 months.
“Glenn and a few other players jumped on the back of carts and unfortunately he lost his grip on the way back to the team bus and sustained that injury,” Australian coach Andrew McDonald explained to reporters in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
“There was nothing untoward in the behaviour throughout the day. It was just a clear-cut accident … he‘s an important player for us, hopefully it’s just the one game he misses.
“It‘ll be a relatively straightforward return to play protocol … unfortunately it has compromised what we are doing as a team.”
Prohibiting golf is obviously not the solution, but in Maxwell’s case, the warning signs were unmistakable. Had the injury been more severe, perhaps reaggravating his broken leg, the Australian public’s response would not have been as sympathetic.
The Australian camp has admitted to hiding Maxwell in “quieter” parts of the field to avoid exposing his broken leg; perhaps similar precautions should be taken during recreational time.
“It rattled everyone, to be fair, once it came to the conclusion there was a concussion and he was going to miss a game,” McDonald continued.
“It doesn’t feel like it was on the severe side. The fortunate part of it was there were no other injuries sustained – it could have been a lot worse than it is.”
Losing this weekend’s match against England wouldn’t be a disaster for Australia, who would comfortably progress through to the semi-finals if they won their following two group-stage games against Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
However, Maxwell’s absence will be sorely felt on Saturday. He’s been Australia’s most consistent middle-order batter throughout the World Cup, also supporting Adam Zampa as the team’s second spinner.
Thankfully for the Australians, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who missed last week’s matches against the Netherlands and New Zealand due to a minor calf injury, is expected to be available for the England clash. He’s a proven middle-order finisher, having also made some valuable contributions with the ball this year.
“There‘s no doubt it leaves us a fraction exposed at the back end in terms of how Glenn has been performing,” McDonald said.
“But Marcus Stoinis does become available, all things going well at training today.”
Meanwhile, Australian opener Travis Head, who recently recovered from an injury of his own, is more than capable of soaking up some overs in Maxwell’s absence.
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Maxwell’s untimely injury also gives Marnus Labuschagne another chance to cement his spot in the starting XI after an underwhelming start to his World Cup campaign.
The Queenslander’s tournament strike rate of 77.30 is comfortably the lowest among recognised batters in the Australian squad, while his lone half-century came against the Netherlands. When Maxwell returns, Labuschagne is the leading candidate to face the axe.
However, the 29-year-old has become renowned for grabbing at chances in the national set-up following a teammate’s head knock – Matthew Renshaw in the United Arab Emirate in 2018, Steve Smith at Lord’s in 2019 and Cameron Green in Bloemfontein a couple of months ago. Perhaps Maxwell’s setback will become the fourth instalment in Labuschagne’s bizarre concussion substitute saga.
Australia, currently third on the World Cup standings, will face England at Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday evening at 7.30pm AEDT.
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