Glenn Maxwell: Australia batter on double century, Pat Cummins, the pain and his recovery
- Published
'This is going to be horrible' - Maxwell on his record knock
"The greatest ODI knock of all time".
That's how Glenn Maxwell's sensational 201 not out to help Australia beat Afghanistan was described.
The all-rounder came to the crease with his side 49-4, which soon became 91-7, in pursuit of 292 to seal a semi-final spot.
Maxwell's innings, the highest men's one-day international score by an Australia batter, was all the more remarkable given he battled cramp and back spasms throughout.
He joined Kate Cross and Alex Hartley on No Balls: The Cricket Podcast to talk through his astonishing knock.
'My whole body was shaking' - battling cramps and spasms
Glenn Maxwell's previous longest innings in one-day internationals was 98 balls - so this one taking 128 deliveries was new territory
After reaching his century off 76 balls, Maxwell started to struggle with back pain and spasms, while also getting cramp in both legs. It left him needing treatment several times and having to play shots without moving his feet.
"I started having a bit of a stiff back, which became back spams throughout the middle of my innings. That was just from fielding during the heat of the day, bowling 10 overs in a few different spells, then sitting down for an hour and a half after fielding. I froze up a little bit before I went out to bat.
"Different body parts started going at different times. The first thing was the middle toe on my right foot started to bend back and I thought, 'Oh no, this is going to be horrible'. The next few overs were so frustrating - I was facing up, knowing my foot was just about to go into cramps. I knew I was not going to be able to run soon.
"My normal limit is facing 40 to 50 balls. Once I got past that stage and I got full body cramps, I was in a bit of trouble.
"I started breathing really fast and it was like I was going into shock. I told my wife that's the second most pain I've ever been in [after breaking my leg last year].
"My whole body was shaking because I felt like I couldn't get any air in. The physio came out and started trying to control my breathing. There was a little bit of panic because I just didn't know what to do, I was in so much pain, I didn't know how to stop it.
How pickle juice and luck got him through
Maxwell took a shot of pickle juice at one stage - it is believed to stop cramping - and walked away in disgust at the taste. He had to start turning down singles or slowly waddling one when required.
"The physio gave me pickle juice and I spat it out. I haven't had pickle juice for 10 years. It tastes like a cheeseburger.
"I remember spitting it out and thinking, 'This is the last thing in the world I need right now.' That didn't really help at all.
"The physio gave me some really good advice though, especially when I seized up completely. He said if I came off then he didn't think I'd be able to come back on and go again.
"He told me to stick it out for a little bit longer. 'Don't run, just stay at one end and see how you go.' That was good advice, we stopped trying to run."
Maxwell was dropped twice, the second a simple chance spilled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman. He also reviewed an lbw decision on 27, with Maxwell, who was halfway off the pitch, surprised when it was overturned.
"I was walking off [when dropped on 33]. The lbw felt dead plumb but it was going just over. If you're going to have a successful run chase like that - Australia's highest in a World Cup - you need some things to go your way.
"Not much went our way in the first 15 overs, we needed something to change and the luck turned our way."
'A gigantic in-joke' - his partnership with Cummins
Pat Cummins (right) often stood at the non-striker's end applauding Glenn Maxwell during the innings
Maxwell shared a record 202 for the eighth wicket with captain Pat Cummins, who made a patient and supportive 12 not out from 68 balls.
"Me and Patty were laughing the whole innings - it ended up becoming a gigantic in-joke. The fact I was shuffling between the wickets and looking up at the changing rooms, I could see them all laughing. It took the steam out of it, it didn't feel like there was added pressure.
"When he came out there was literally no chat about, 'Let's build a partnership, let's dig in'. It was just, 'Good luck. Little bit of spin, let's just see how we go'.
"There was a wide at some stage and I joked, 'Don't worry, we'll get these in extras.' It wasn't like, 'We could pull off a miraculous win'. It was, 'This would be so funny if we got this done'.
"The scoreboard flashed up that they were four overs behind and Pat goes, 'Don't worry we'll get them in the last four overs when they've got an extra fielder inside the ring'.
"We had a smile on our face the whole time and tried to keep it as chilled out as we could. We didn't talk about winning until we got down to the last 10 overs. We weren't in any run-rate pressure so we could eliminate the running and just pick and choose what we wanted to do.
"Could Cummins be any more perfect if he tried? He is just so good. Out there he was so calm and cool."
Maxwell hits astonishing double century to seal Australia win
'If we don't win the World Cup, it won't mean as much'
Maxwell's double century was the first in the second innings of an ODI and just the third in World Cup history. It followed Maxwell hitting a 40-ball century - the fastest in World Cups - against the Netherlands earlier in the tournament.
"It hasn't sunk in how good it was. I understand the magnitude of the stats. But in my mind and how I was feeling out there, it just felt like me and Pat having fun.
"It happened so naturally and I haven't had that too many times in my career. I've had instances where I've played good innings with the lower order but never to that scale, at a World Cup to get us into the semi-finals.
"I've been in that situation about 40 or 50 times and maybe in the best possible result is I get a fifty and then play a shocking shot to get out and watch social media light up with how rubbish I am and how I should be dropped and never play for Australia again. It's a nice change to have some positivity on my phone.
"It's pretty cool to look back on but I still think that if we don't win this World Cup it probably won't mean as much going forward. It'll be amazing but I'd like to hope it puts us on that path to winning it."
'I'm going from one machine to another' - the challenge of recovery
Maxwell, 35, is still recovering from breaking his leg at a friend's 50th birthday party last November. He also missed Australia's previous game with concussion after falling off the back of a golf buggy.
"I ended up getting to sleep at about 03:30-03:45. I had adrenaline and pain and couldn't switch off. I woke up about 7:30 and was back on dad duty with little Logan. I was a busy man in the morning and then we had the bus journey as well and there wasn't any sleep on that.
"I haven't recovered as well as I used to when I was a bit younger. It takes me a little bit longer to get over hot games. And I haven't faced over 100 balls in an ODI ever, it's a new experience.
"I've just been battling to get my body right. I'm basically going from one machine to another to try and rehab and get myself right for the next couple of games.
"I'm pretty tired and sore still. It's been a wild couple of days. Letting everything sink in and trying to reflect and move forward.
"It's been incredibly overwhelming and I'm very lucky to share it with family over here."