Australia has cruised towards a crushing 309-run victory over the Netherlands in Delhi, courtesy of a masterful century from David Warner and a record-breaking blitz from Glenn Maxwell.
Warner (104 from 93 balls) and Maxwell (106 from 44 balls) steered the Australians towards an imposing total of 8-399 at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday, with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne cracking fifties.
The Netherlands were rolled for 90 in response, bowled out within 21 overs as Adam Zampa claimed four wickets amid a horror collapse of 8-43.
It was the largest margin of victory in World Cup history, while Maxwell’s century was the fastest by an Australian in ODIs
Australia will next face New Zealand at Dharamshala’s Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday, with the first ball scheduled for 4pm AEDT.
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Marsh falls in early Aussie blow | 00:34
HAS MARNUS DONE ENOUGH TO AVOID THE AXE?
It was assumed that when Travis Head returned from his wrist injury, Marnus Labuschagne would be the player who faced the axe.
However, that selection move doesn’t seem quite so simple now.
Head, who landed in India last week, is expected to be available for Saturday’s crucial World Cup clash against New Zealand in Dharamshala. The left-hander was Australia’s most consistent white-ball batter before his untimely injury setback, and he’ll join David Warner at the top of the order when he’s fit to play.
Mitchell Marsh will presumably slot back into the middle order, squeezing Labuschagne out of the starting XI. The Queenslander did not reach fifty in Australia’s opening four matches of the tournament, averaging 30.25 with a pitiful strike rate of 64.70.
However, Labuschagne blasted a classy 62 (47) against the Netherlands in Delhi on Wednesday to give the national selectors some food for thought ahead of Head’s return.
The right-hander smacked seven boundaries and two sixes during his entertaining knock, combining with centurion David Warner for an 84-run partnership for the third wicket.
But has Labuschagne done enough to keep his spot for the Black Caps clash?
The only other candidates are Steve Smith, who scored an equally impressive 71 (68) against the Dutch, and Marcus Stoinis, who has made some valuable contributions with the ball throughout the tournament.
If Labuschagne had converted his half-century into triple figures, it may have been enough to force a selection rethink, but the 29-year-old might be asked to carry the drinks this weekend.
‘GOODNESS ME’: DESPERATE DUTCH A CLASS ABOVE IN THE FIELD
The Netherlands squad may not be packed with superstars, but their fielding has been a class above any other team in the tournament.
The team’s desperation and commitment in the field has been exceptional throughout the World Cup, particularly during the first half of Australia’s innings in Delhi.
Steve Smith and David Warner combined for a 132-run partnership for the second wicket at Arun Jaitley Stadium, but the damage could have been far worse if not for some superb ground fielding from the Dutch.
In the 11th over, Warner tickled a loose delivery from Paul van Meekeren fine, and the shot had four written all over it — only for Logan van Beek to swoop across and save three runs in a diving effort.
Every member of the Dutch team applauded van Beek for his efforts.
“Goodness me, the Dutch have really been on in the field,” former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson said in commentary.
“You can see how desperate they are to cut down every single ball and support their bowlers.”
The Netherlands’ catching has also been a class above throughout the World Cup, boasting the highest catching efficiency of the tournament to date with 87 per cent.
One of their few mistakes in the field was Roelof van der Merwe’s tough chance at cover in the 23rd over — the catch was denied when replays showed the ball had scraped the ground.
However, the 38-year-old redeemed himself the following over by claiming a remarkable catch at point, removing the dangerous Smith for 71 (68). The Australian’s sliced cut flew low to van der Merwe’s right, with the former Protea grabbing at the chance and somehow holding on.
Van der Merwe is the oldest player in the tournament, and he’s putting most of the young whippersnappers in India to shame.
To top it all off, Sybrand Engelbrecht nailed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end to send Australian all-rounder Cameron Green packing in the 43rd over for 8 (11).
The only Dutch player guilty of letting the side down in the field was Max O’Dowd, who had an evening to forget in Delhi.
Having missed an opportunity to run out David Warner in the 17th over, he misjudged a lofted shot in the outfield during Glenn Maxwell’s onslaught, gifting the Victorian an additional three runs.
Catch efficiency at 2023 World Cup
87 per cent — Netherlands
83 per cent — India
82 per cent — New Zealand
81 per cent — England
79 per cent — Pakistan
77 per cent — Bangladesh
77 per cent — South Africa
67 per cent — Afghanistan
65 per cent — Australia
65 per cent — Sri Lanka
ZAMPA’S REVIVAL MIRRORS AUSSIE WORLD CUP CHARGE
Ten days ago, Adam Zampa was in dire straits.
Having accidentally bashed his face into the hotel swimming pool’s wall, the Australian leg-spinner started his World Cup campaign with a pair of forgettable performances against India and South Africa.
Then, while battling back spasms, Zampa’s first spell against Sri Lanka in Lucknow could only be described as dreadful, leaking 22 runs in three wicketless overs.
At that point in the tournament, the 31-year-old was averaging 145.00 with the ball. Not only that, but he was the lone strike spinner in Australia’s World Cup squad, forcing him to power through the pain.
However, everything changed when Pat Cummins threw Zampa the ball in the 28th over of the Sri Lanka clash. The leggie ripped through the opposition’s middle order, taking 4-25 in a game-changing spell to claim player of the match honours.
After backing it up with another four-wicket haul against Pakistan in Bengaluru on Friday, Zampa was officially back.
On Wednesday evening in Delhi, Zampa steamed through the vulnerable Dutch tail to help Australia secure the largest victory in World Cup history.
The Netherlands batters had no answer for Zampa’s wrong-uns, failing to pick the variation balls and playing down the wrong-un.
The New South Welshman finished with 4-8 from three overs, the best bowling performance by an Australian spinner in men’s World Cups. Meanwhile, he’s currently the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps at 17.76.
It’s no coincidence that Australia’s resurgence in the World Cup has mirrored Zampa’s revival with the ball.
Best bowling performance by Australian spinners at World Cups
4-8 — Adam Zampa vs NED, 2023
4-27 — Brad Hogg vs NED, 2007
4-29 — Shane Warner vs RSA, 1999
4-29 — Brad Hogg vs NZ, 2007
4-33 — Shane Warne vs PAK, 1999
WARNER EQUALS THE LITTLE MASTER
David Warner is quickly establishing himself as Australia’s greatest World Cup batter. Ever.
The veteran opener ticked off his sixth World Cup hundred on Wednesday, toppling the Australian record, which was previously held by Ricky Ponting with five. Only two other cricketers boast at least six World Cup centuries — Indian captain Rohit Sharma and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Meanwhile, no cricketer in history has scored more World Cup runs at a higher average than Warner (63.04).
It comes after Warner cracked a masterful hundred against Pakistan in Bengaluru last week, making him the fourth Australian to score back-to-back World Cup centuries.
The 36-year-old, who represents the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, received a standing ovation from the adoring Delhi crowd when he walked off for 104 (93).
“He was outstanding,” former Australian captain Aaron Finch said during the innings break.
“He went through a few lulls throughout his innings, but the skill of the man to continue to keep trucking on when things aren’t going your way.”
Warner has indicated that he will hang up the boots after this tournament after this World Cup, which is a crying shame. He’s irreplaceable in the ODI format, scoring a century every 6.95 innings.
So why doesn’t the powerful left-hander enter conversations for Australia’s ODI GOAT? The main reason, of course, is the lack of 50-over cricket he’s played throughout his career, a side effect of being a multi-format cricketer in the T20 era.
Ponting, for example, played 220 more ODIs than Warner throughout his stellar career, yet managed just eight more hundreds.
MARSH BOOST AUSSIE BOWLING STOCKS
Since undergoing ankle surgery in December, Mitchell Marsh has rarely rolled the arm over in white-ball cricket.
Despite being classified as a genuine all-rounder, the West Australian has been kept on ice in the field, only bowling one over in his previous 14 ODIs.
Marsh was thrown the ball in the 14th over of the Netherlands’ run chase in Delhi on Wednesday, and the right-armer struck with his second delivery of the match — courtesy of some superb fielding from teammate David Warner. Sybrand Engelbrecht nailed a lofted pull shot towards deep square leg, where Warner lunged in the air and snuffled the chance, timing his leap to perfection.
Marsh snared another breakthrough in his third over, albeit with a loose delivery at Teja Nidamanuru’s thigh guard. The right-hander tickled the ball down the legside, with wicketkeeper Josh Inglis swallowing a low catch to his left.
Marsh finished with 2-19 from four overs, his best ODI bowling performance since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
It certainly wasn’t his most impressive bowling spell at international level, far from it. He dished out three wides, while both of his dismissals had an element of luck involved.
However, Marsh’s return to bowling gives Pat Cummins an additional option in the field, another seamer to turn to the middle order. As shown by Marcus Stoinis’ game-changing spell against Pakistan last week, Australia’s all-rounders are capable of creating breakthroughs when partnerships start to form.
Marsh won’t be required for ten-over spells at any stage in the tournament, but he adds an extra weapon to Cummins’ arsenal.
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