Can Glenn Maxwell make the step up to Test cricket?
By TheOpening1stDrop, 14 hours ago Have your say
First and foremost, let me congratulate Glenn James Maxwell on his ruthless 51 not out against the West Indies during the first ODI.
It was an all out attack of the bat which had shades of Afridi, Symonds and Gilchrist all rolled into one.
But that’s where the comparisons stop. You see it’s a known thing in sport that if you’re given enough opportunities, eventually you’ll come good.
Albeit one in ten times, and that’s exactly what Friday’s innings was for Maxwell. That one in ten.
One could argue Glenn Maxwell has had an unbelievable ride into the Australian one-day side without properly earning his position through the vigorousness of applying technique with consistency in the Sheffield Shield or even the Ryobi Cup.
He is a player who has built his reputation and moulded his ability via T20 cricket, much in the same manner to how David Warner first burst onto the scene.
But again that’s where the comparison stop.
For you see, Glenn Maxwell is what some punters and fans can call John Inverity’s golden child.
Each generation has one and while most of the time the golden child doesn’t live up to expectations after being handed chance after chance, opportunity after opportunity to go from potential to consistency, sometimes they do.
The verdict is still out on young Maxwell but if it could be given at this exact moment, he would be failing to live up to it.
Among fans, readers, home selectors and spectators alike, Glenn Maxwell is being heavily scrutinized for his constant selections in the start XI and tour of India squad. Might I add this is with good reason too.
His current form makes out for interesting dissection. During his eight-game ODI career he has amassed 197 runs at an average of 32.83.
Not too bad but by no means is it any reason to hail him the second coming of Sir Donald Bradman, like commentator James Brayshaw will lead you to believe every time Maxwell steps out to bat.
However it’s his bowling figures that truly paint the complete picture as he has returned figures of 0/171 without an average as obviously there are no wickets to formulate one.
Judging by these figures Glenn Maxwell is as much of an all-rounder as David Warner is.
Yet he has been selected for the upcoming tour of India as one, and this is where the problem truly lies.
Maxwell’s bowling will be tested against a nation of cricketers bred playing spin bowling and his batting will be tested against pitches where footwork and technique are an absolute must.
Some of the best batsmen Australia has produced have toured India and come back home empty and demoralized.
It’s a place where everything must be fine tuned in order to win, where ironically the smash and bash, swing the bat like a rusty gate will win you fans – in the IPL that is.
Test cricket is a whole other beast completely, it is a battle of patience and will. Where a cricketer’s temperament must be clam, his skills fine-tuned and his trust in his ability to get through bogged down part of an innings high.
The big question is, does Glenn Maxwell have these attributes? If Australia find themselves 4/40 down, does Glenn Maxwell have the ability to play a long innings to win or save a test match?
I don’t believe he does and that’s ok because it’s not his natural game but at the same token if it’s not his natural game then he shouldn’t be anywhere near the Test squad let alone the Test side,
Most fans will undoubtably be put off if a batsmen who has earned his place through consistency like an Usman Khawaja gets left out of a side to accommodate an all rounder who really isn’t so much as an actual all rounder.
So does Glenn Maxwell really have all the toys? I don’t believe he does and am left wondering when the National Selection Panel will see that too.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/02/03/can-glenn-maxwell-make-the-step-up-to-test-cricket/#comments
Lol. Did you write this AlwaysGreen? Spot on assessment nether the less.
