Maxwell keeps his cool to sink SA hopes in T20 series decider
Maxwell had steadied the Australian innings after they'd lost four wickets for 39 in 21 balls and put them in a winning position until a superb 19th over from Corbin Bosch, left Ngidi to defend 10 runs in the last over.
Maxwell hit a powerful drive through the covers for four off the second ball and with Ngidi struggling to find the right length — likely on account of heavy dew in Cairns — the reverse pull flew to the boundary, with Maxwell pumping his fists as his teammate celebrated in the dugout.
His 62 not out came off 36 balls, and included eight fours and two sixes.
GLENN MAXWELL WINS IT ON THE SECOND LAST BALL! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/gvrzvyHnGc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 16, 2025
It meant that another 'six fest' from Dewald Brevis was insufficient, with the Proteas, who made 172/7, falling about 30 runs short of a total they should have reached.
Brevis hit half-a-dozen sixes, four of them coming in over, backing up his unbeaten 125 from Tuesday's second match with a sensational 53 off only 26 balls.
But the next best for the Proteas was Rassie van der Dussen's 38 off 26 balls. 'Yeah, 170 wasn't enough on that surface,' SA's captain Aiden Markram admitted.
Again SA struggled in the power play, scoring 46/2 with the field restrictions in place with Markram again dismissed early, this time for one in the first over.
With Ryan Rickelton also struggling to middle the ball, it was left to teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius who faced 15 balls for his 24 to create momentum for the Proteas.
Brevis's blitzkrieg included four sixes off Aaron Hardie in the 10th over, three coming in his favourite area down the ground, with the crack of ball on willow echoing around the Cazaly Stadium.
But with Tristan Stubbs also struggling with his timing, Brevis was left as the sole boundary hitter and in attempting another, he was brilliantly caught by a diving Maxwell at long-on in the 12th over.
SA struggled thereafter hitting only five fours off the remaining 50 balls of the innings — one an outside edge by Senuran Muthusamy and another the result of a miss-field from Mitchell Marsh.
Spare a thought for this guy who tried to take a catch in the crowd and went BANG into the fence! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/yfYcNBlCUK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 16, 2025
The Australian captain put SA under pressure at the start of the run-chase with a bruising half-century that included five sixes. But after an opening partnership of 66 with Travis Head, SA pulled themselves back into the contest. First Markram had Head dismissed for 19, then Bosch, who was again excellent, breached Josh Inglis' defences, which was followed by a double strike from Kwena Maphaka that left Australia wobbling at 88/4.
When Kagiso Rabada caught player of the series Tim David off his own bowling for 17, SA's confidence was high.
But Maxwell kept his composure, hitting timely boundaries and even though he got little help at the other end, SA's poor output with the bat in the second half of their innings, meant the target wasn't as much as it should have been.
Ben Dwarhuis scored just one in a 42-run seventh wicket partnership that was superbly controlled by Maxwell, but within sight of victory, Australia were knocked back again.
Bosch picked up two wickets in the 19th over, to raise SA's hopes.
But those were dashed by Maxwell's cool and creative execution at the end against Ngidi.
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