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Glenn Maxwell's masterclass in Delhi and David Warner's wonderful century followed by Adam Zampa's brilliance helped Australia register the highest-ever win by runs in World Cup history, beating Netherlands by 309 runs here at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
The Aussie side looked in supreme touch as they torched Nethreland with both bat and ball. The winning margin of 309 runs is the largest ever at a Men's Cricket World Cup and the second largest ever in ODIs Maxwell scored a masterclass 106 while Warner's wonderful knock of 104 runs pushed Australia to a mammoth total total of 399 runs. Adam Zampa was the destructor in chief as he demolished the Dutch batting lineup completely, returning with a figure of 4-8 while Mitchell Marsh scalped two wickets. Chasing 400 to win against a bowling attack of Australia's calibre was always going to be difficult for the Netherlands. However, any Dutch expectations of a morale-boosting batting performance were dashed in the first 11 overs. Max O'Dowd was the first to go, and he was cleaned up for 6 by Mitchell Starc. And Maxwell returned to the action with an amazing run-out to dismiss Vikram Singh for a run-a-ball 25. The Dutch run rate slowed, content to sit in and take a break in the middle. Even the more conservative approach wasn't enough to withstand Australia's pace attack, as Josh Hazlewood trapped Colin Ackermann leg before wicket for 10 and Pat Cummins trapped Bas de Leede LBW for 4. Mitchell Marsh got in on the act, removing both Sybrand Engelbrecht (11) and Teja Nidamanuru (14) and allowing the tail to open. And Zampa made quick work of the Dutch lower order, taking two wickets in two balls twice to finish with superb figures and bowl them out for 90. Captain Scott Edwards was left stranded at the finish of play on 12*, and he will attempt to pick up his teammates after the most brutal of confrontations. Earlier, David Warner smashed another immaculate century as Australia built a solid platform against Netherlands in the ICC World Cup before Glenn Maxwell unleashed the fastest hundred in the tournament's history, guiding their team's total to a mammoth 399/8 against the Dutch side. Maxwell's century came from just 40 balls, nine faster than the previous best at a World Cup, and included eight maximums. Warner and Steve Smith helped Australia get off to a solid start after deciding to bat, contributing to a 66/1 score after the first Powerplay in Delhi on Wednesday. After a solid start, Australia's top order accelerated to set up a huge total. Nobody could have foreseen the degree of the damage that was to come, with Maxwell shredding the Netherlands attack with a ruthless show of hitting, scoring the fastest-ever hundred in a Cricket World Cup. Maxwell's century came in 40 balls, nine faster than the previous World Cup record, and included eight maximums. Brief score: Australia 399/8 (Glenn Maxwell 106, David Warner 104; Logan van Beek 4-74) vs Netherlands 90 (Vikramjit Singh 25, Teja Nidamanuru 14; Adam Zampa 4-8). (ANI)
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