ADELAIDE: Big-hitting Glenn Maxwell slammed a 50-ball century as Australia beat the West Indies by 34 runs in the second Twenty20 international to seal the series in Adelaide on Sunday.

The 35-year-old was in ominous touch, blasting eight sixes and 12 fours in a blistering 120 not out from 55 deliveries.

It propelled Australia to 241-4 and the visitors could only muster 207-9 in reply, led by skipper Rovman Powell’s battling 63.

“It was good fun, that’s for sure. Always good batting here, we saw in the Big Bash how good the wickets were during the tournament,” Maxwell said. “The wicket was nice and true. I have always relied on my hand speed and it worked for me today. I give myself the best chance always and nice to play a positive knock.”

The hosts won the first clash in Hobart by 11 runs, with one match to play in Perth on Tuesday.

West Indies opener Johnson Charles hit a giant six off the first ball he faced in the run chase, knowing his team must come out swinging.

A wicket maiden by Josh Hazlewood stymied the threat, with Brandon King caught on the ropes for five.

Nicholas Pooran then took apart the next over from Jason Behrendorff, smacking three sixes in a row, but he didn’t last, spooning to midwicket on 18 as left-arm quick Spencer Johnson picked up a wicket in his first home international.

Marcus Stoinis removed Shai Hope (0) and Charles (24) in his first over to leave them on 62-4.

Johnson collected his second of the night to remove Sherfane Rutherford (0) and Stoinis got his third in Andre Russell (37 off 16), before Powell’s 36-ball knock proved in vain.

“The boys showed courage, they started aggressive but we keep losing wickets and in the middle we failed to get big partnerships,” Powell said. “But credit to the Australian guys, they bowled well.”

Earlier, Australian opener Josh Inglis lasted just six balls before being caught in the deep trying to hit Jason Holder out of the ground.

Skipper Mitchell Marsh whacked an enterprising 29 to propel the hosts to 58-2 off their power-play, but he tried one slog too many and was well caught at mid-on by Holder off Alzarri Joseph, with David Warner following soon after for 22.

That brought Maxwell to the crease and he was looking for the boundary with every delivery, finding it frequently with a range of magnificent shots to reach a half-century off 25 balls.

He shared an 82-run partnership with Stoinis (16) before being joined by fellow big-hitter Tim David (31 off 14) in a 95-run stand that saw him bring up his fifth T20 century.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA:

David Warner c Rutherford b Shepherd22

J. Inglis c Charles b Holder4

M. Marsh c Holder b Joseph29

G. Maxwell not out120

M. Stoinis c King b Holder16

T. David not out31

EXTRAS (LB-11, NB-1, W-7)19

TOTAL (for four wickets, 20 overs)241

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-14 (Inglis), 2-57 (Marsh), 3-64 (Warner), 4-146 (Stoinis)

DID NOT BAT: M. Wade, A. Zampa, J. Behrendorff, J. Hazlewood, S. Johnson

BOWLING: Hosein 3-0-32-0, Holder 4-0-42-2 (1w), Joseph 4-0-31-1 (2w), Russell 4-0-59-0 (1w, 1nb), Shepherd 4-0-48-1 (3w), Powell 1-0-18-0

WEST INDIES:

B. King c David b Hazlewood5

J. Charles c Wade b Stoinis24

N. Pooran c (sub) b Johnson18

S. Hope c Maxwell b Stoinis0

R. Powell c Inglis b Zampa63

S. Rutherford c Wade b Johnson0

A. Russell c Inglis b Stoinis37

R. Shepherd c Maxwell b Behrendorff12

J. Holder not out28

A. Hosein b Hazlewood0

A. Joseph not out2

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-5, W-11)18

TOTAL (for nine wickets, 20 overs)207

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11 (King), 2-42 (Pooran), 3-56 (Hope), 4-62 (Charles), 5-63 (Rutherford), 6-110 (Russell), 7-164 (Shepherd), 8-176 (Powell), 9-189 (Hosein)

BOWLING: Behrendorff 4-0-55-1 (3w), Hazlewood 4-1-31-2, Johnson 4-0-39-2 (2w), Stoinis 4-0-36-3 (2w), Zampa 4-0-39-1

RESULT: Australia won by runs 34 runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Glenn Maxwell

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2024