Glenn Maxwell
After a string of low scores, Australia's Glenn Maxwell hammered 70 off just 31 deliveries to regain his form in Wellington against New Zealand on Wednesday. Riding on Maxwell's quick-fire knock and Ashton Agar's six-wicket haul, the Aussies clinched the game by 64 runs and halved the hosts' lead in the five-match series with New Zealand still leading 2-1.
During his explosive knock, Maxwell even destroyed a seat at Westpac Stadium. In the 17th over of the Australian innings bowled by all-rounder James Neesham, Maxwell smoked a four in the backward point region on the first delivery.
On the very next ball, Maxwell launched a maximum over square leg. He hit the ball so hard that it broke a seat in the stands of the venue -- Westpac Stadium. "Glenn Maxwell's entered demolition mode in Wellington!" tweeted Cricket Australia's on the all-rounder's spectacular batting show.
Maxwell also signed the seat which will be now put up for auction. All proceeds will be donated to Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust.
Maxwell hit eight fours and five sixes in the carnage before eventually getting dismissed by Tim Southee. Neesham, who conceded 60 runs without dismissing any Australian batsman tonight, registered the second-most expensive bowling figures of 4-0-60-0 by a Kiwi bowler.
Before Maxwell, skipper Aaron Finch also returned to his old self, scoring 69 runs off 44 deliveries while opening Australia's innings. Finch eventually fell to Sodhi in the 16th over but Maxwell put his foot on the gas pedal in the next two overs. He smacked four fours and two sixes off Neesham to gather 28 runs in the 17th over.
In reply, New Zealand were knocked by Agar's six-wicket haul. While Riley Meredith took 2-24 in his international debut, Agar ran riot to bowl New Zealand out for 144 in 17.1 overs.
