Glenn Maxwell has dared fast bowlers to keep up the bouncer barrage that marred his World Cup as he prepares to unveil a new batting stance at Adelaide Oval.
Maxwell, 31, denied he had a weakness against the short ball although conceded doubts crept into his mind when Mitchell Starc struck him on the arm in the Old Trafford nets.
Starc said Maxwell played that delivery horribly and it came just moments after coach Justin Langer validated Andrew Symonds’ declaration that Maxwell had a problem.
“I didn’t think it was fair,” Maxwell told the Sunday Herald Sun.
“I was getting targeted with (short balls) because I was taking it on so much, and I find it’s a massive scoring option for me.
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media_cameraGlenn Maxwell skies a pull shot at the World Cup. Picture: Alex Livesey/Getty
“If they’re not bowling at my stumps then I think it’s a great thing for me. I’d much rather them bowl there than at my stumps.”
Young gun Jhye Richardson clean bowled Maxwell in a domestic one-dayer this week but the Victorian said cricket fans would visibly pick up on his batting tweak against Sri Lanka.
“I’ve been tinkering with a few things technically-wise and trying to work on something that’s more comfortable for me just in my set up,” he said.
It’s starting to show signs of working. I think you’ll certainly notice it. Yeah, you’ll see it – it’s different, but it’s how I feel comfortable.
“A lot of the time when you’re batting you’re trying to stick to the norm of what everyone else is doing, but I went away and worked on some things and tried to think of what made me feel comfortable at the crease and this makes me feel comfortable.
“I’ll stick with it.”
While Maxwell was the floater in the ODI World Cup, entering as low as No.7, he will get his chance early.
Australia’s top four is locked in – captain Aaron Finch, David Warner, Maxwell and Steve Smith – with middle-order specialists and keeper Alex Carey to round out the batting.
“T20 cricket as an opener is no worries,” Maxwell said.
“As soon as you get to No.3, 4, 5 and 6 it’s hard positions to bat, because you get thrown in to these different scenarios.
“As an opener in T20 you’ve got free reign, but the rest of the order you’ve got to adapt to whatever gets thrown at you, which I find great fun.
“I’d love to get the opportunity to open at some stage and just tee them up. I think we’ve got our right mix with our order and people that can adapt in certain situations.”
Maxwell played County Cricket at Lancashire this year and said his teammates couldn’t believe the Aussies faced Starc and Pat Cummins in their unpredictable Old Trafford nets.
Maxwell joked that as Melbourne Stars captain he would be empowered to dodge South African legend Dale Steyn’s nets at training this Big Bash season.
“I’ll be getting throw downs every session this summer,” he said.
Originally published as Maxy’s defiant stance to combat chin music
