Glenn Maxwell's maiden one-day international century enters the record books
Magic Maxwell smashes records
Glenn Maxwell has set a new record for the fastest ODI century by an Australian male, bringing up his maiden ton off 51 balls against Sri Lanka at the SCG.
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Maxwell broke the record held by teammate James Faulkner, reaching the milestone in the 46th over of Australia's innings, six balls faster than the Tasmanian.
Fastest Australian ODI hundreds - men
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The 26-year-old looked to have equalled Irishman Kevin O'Brien's record for the fastest century at a World Cup in the preceding over when, on 99 and facing his 50th ball, Maxwell scampered off strike after Lasith Malinga's lbw appeal was turned down by umpire Ian Gould.
After much delay and discussion with Maxwell, Gould called leg-bye and ensured O'Brien's record remained.
Maxwell was eventually dismissed for 102 off 53 balls when he tried to hit another boundary.
Fastest World Cup hundreds - men
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Maxwell had gone close to posting three figures before, having been out in the nervous nineties on three occasions in his 45-match career.
His whirlwind knock in a man of the match perforamce included 10 fours and fours sixes from a variety of sweeps - both conventional and reverse - lofted drives and slogs to the leg-side.
Known for attacking from ball one, Maxwell had to negotiate an inch-perfect yorker from Malinga first ball.
Six balls later the Victorian found the rope for the first time, lofting spinner Sachithra Senanayake down the ground to start his ascent.
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Maxwell's cover drive - the reverse sweep // Getty Images
The innings gained some real momentum when the right-hander launched Tillakaratne Dilshan over long-off for six, then repeated the dose six balls later to Seekkuge Prasanna.
A lap-six off Thisara Perara brought up Maxwell's half-century from only 26 balls as the allrounder eyed O'Brien's World Cup record.
Three fours off Prasanna's ninth over had Maxwell in control of his own destiny, and when the hirsute allrounder was dropped twice on 73 and 93, it seemed fortune had finally favoured the brave.
And while the record just eluded him, the memory of scoring a drought-breaking century in a World Cup will last forever.