ICC World Cup 2015: Australia vs Sri Lanka - Quick flicks of the match
Maxwell denies himself the fastest World Cup century
Glen Maxwell played a gem of an innings scoring 102 off 53 balls, slamming the Sri Lankan bowlers all around the park. The Victorian reached his 50 in 26 balls and was well on track to beat Kevin O’Brien’s record for the fastest World Cup hundred.
The right-hander was on 99 after facing 49 balls and a length delivery from Lasith Malinga rapped him on the pads and rolled towards fine leg. Maxwell completed a run and the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) went bonkers mistaking it for a run. Umpire Ian Gould was not sure whether it was off the bat or pad and clarified the issue with Maxwell.
The Australian, humbly and gracefully, declared that it was off his pads, denying himself the fastest World Cup century!
Sangakkara’s new helmet
After Phil Hughes tragic death, helmet designers entered the avenues of different helmet designs to protect the side of the neck around the base of the cranium. John Mooney of Ireland came up with his own homemade remedy, but Kumar Sangakkara today wore, probably for the first time, the first professional helmet that provided safety to the sides of the neck.
Sangakkara’s World Cup record
The southpaw may have announced his Test retirement this morning, but he didn’t seem to have altered his ODI form as he scored his 3rd consecutive century. Sangakkara became the 7th cricketer to score 3 ODI tons in a row and the first player to do so at the World Cup. He also became only the second player to score 3 consecutive centuries against 3 different opponents in ODI cricket.
Chandimal’s 50 – fastest for a Sri Lankan at the World Cup
Playing his first World Cup game, Dinesh Chandimal shoved a gem right on the face of the naysayers by hitting a 24-ball 52 as he became the fastest to reach that milestone as a Sri Lankan at the World Cup.
Chandimal looked in great touch, slog sweeping the spinners and hoicking the medium pace of Shane Watson over mid-wicket. Sri Lanka looked like winning the match as both Angelo Mathews and Chandimal threatened to hitch the asking rate down but an injury to Chandimal’s quadriceps or hamstring forced him to retire hurt.
The valiant youngster tried fighting but realised he could actually cost Sri Lanka runs by being slow between the wickets, and hence retired hurt.
6 fours in one over
Sledging is something that can spur the Sri Lankans on as Stuart Broad learnt it the hard way the other day. It was Mitchell Johnson’s turn today as he found himself hit for 6 fours in an over after he sledged Dilshan.
Dilshan started off by driving the first ball through the off side and then followed it with a straight drive. The third boundary came via a lofted shot over midwicket and an attempted bouncer was sent careening to the square-leg boundary from the fourth ball. The fifth ball was driven through the covers and a mere push took the last delivery race to the boundary through the cover region.