Marcus Stoinis has made a brilliant century, his first in nine seasons of playing in the Indian Premier League, to carry Lucknow Super Giants to victory over Chennai Super Kings.
Facing Chennai's daunting 4 for 210, Lucknow lost opener Quinton de Kock without scoring, bringing Stoinis to the crease after three balls.
The 34-year-old took his time, playing himself in, then accelerated to pummel the hosts for 124 not out off 63 balls.
[summary]It was his second-highest T20 score, eclipsed only by the astonishing 147 not out he made for Melbourne Stars against Sydney Sixers in January 2020, and the second-highest IPL score by an Australia, behind David Warner's 126 for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2017.
With the T20 World Cup now less than six weeks away, it was a timely moment for the West Australian to find form, having previously made 130 runs at 21.67 in the campaign.
Stoinis was not one of the 23 players given a contract by Cricket Australia earlier this year and missed the tour of New Zealand with a back injury.
"I've a great relationship with the coach [Andrew McDonald], me not getting a contract — I knew that a while ago," he said.
"It is great to get young kids a spot and let them have a crack. I am absolutely fine with that on the contract front. On the playing front I want to make sure I am there. That's why it is lucky for me to have this competition."
Stoinis displayed his customary power, smashing six sixes and 13 fours, but also showed some deft touches, rotating the strike smartly and using the depth and width of the crease.
Needing 17 to win off the final over, he lofted the first ball over long-on for six, the second straight for four, and the third slashed through the vacant third slip region for another boundary.
That delivery was a no- ball, and Stoinis pulled the free hit for another four to win with three balls to spare.
It was another instance of a high-scoring contest in this year's IPL, which has been the happiest edition ever for batters.
That is thanks in no small part to the "impact player" rule, which allows teams to swap in one player during the match, meaning a team can add an extra batting threat before a big run chase or bring in a bowler with no batting skill to defend a total.
The top four IPL team scores of all time have been posted in this season, and Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting said the new rule has had an effect.
Australian cricket legend Ponting said it made picking teams "a bit of a nightmare" but if it was bringing in more casual fans then it should stay.
India captain Rohit Sharma was less equivocal, saying the rule was hurting the development of all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube, who are not getting a chance to bowl in high-pressure situations.
India seamer Mohammed Siraj also wants the rule gone.
"The wickets are already flat and there's nothing for the bowlers in it," he said.
"Previously, it used to be slow at times, but the batters now come out swinging at absolutely everything."
[scorecard]AAP/ABC
