Maxwell: Getting rested breaks my momentum

Cricket365
August 23, 2014

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell does not subscribe to the 'resting' school of thought and says he plays better cricket the more games he gets, and doesn't like his momentum to be broken.

Maxwell is in Zimbabwe for the tri-series against the hosts and South Africa, and is looking forward to getting on the park, after a successful IPL and then a stint in County cricket.

Maxwell was one of the IPL's best batsmen, starting off with a string of high half centuries, but was then rested and his form fell away. He explained that he needed to keep going and that breaks did him more harm than good.

Maxwell told cricket.com.au: "I got back (from the IPL) and went straight into the Brisbane camp, so I had no rest, which is the way I like it.

"I like to play my cricket back to back, and try to have as little breaks as possible because you can get a bit of momentum that way. And if you're out of form you can find it just around the corner.

"Playing all over the world 12 months of the year, travelling around and experiencing different conditions and really adjusting to those wherever you go (is a challenge).

"I think we came from South Africa, straight into Bangladesh and then straight into Dubai so it was adjusting pretty quickly to those three places.

"And I think it was when I got to Dubai (for the IPL) I was in a really good head space after the (T20) World Cup, after I played a couple of good innings there and I just hit the ground running.

"And when you start a tournament off really well like that you can get a bit of a run-on effect and you keep going, so I was in a really good head space and was able to continue my routines and do those really well."

After the IPL, Maxwell headed to England to play for Hampshire, and while he didn't set the field alight like he had in the IPL early stages, he still felt it was a valuable experience and kept his eye in.

He said, despite two tons in the latter part of his stint: "It was good fun playing for Hampshire (but) I felt like I left a lot of runs over there unfortunately and didn't quite perform the way I wanted to.

"But it was still nice to keep that momentum of playing cricket going, and I got a few scores towards the end of the season that boosted my confidence for when I returned home.

"So I'm in a good space to head into the Zimbabwe series."