He played a prudent 61-run knock in 53 deliveries.
Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly showed immense composure under pressure during the end moments of the Adelaide ODI, where he took his team over the line in a tricky run chase against India. He played a prudent 61-run knock in 53 deliveries, comprising five boundaries and a maximum, at a strike rate of 115.09, and, more importantly, stayed unbeaten throughout the innings.
He formed useful stands with Matthew Short (55 off 54) for the fifth wicket, Mitchell Owen (59 off 39) for the sixth wicket, and short ones with three other lower-order batters. The wickets kept tumbling from the other end, even after partnerships in between, but Connolly held his end tight and eventually won the game with 22 balls and two wickets to spare.
Following the game’s conclusion, the 22-year-old recalled his first such knock in a tense chase during the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022/23 final, where he played a timely cameo to take Perth Scorchers to their fifth title. Cooper Connolly, 19 then, scored 25 runs in 11 balls at a strike rate of 227.27 at No.7 and gave a glimpse of what to expect at the grandest stage in future.
“I actually had a moment out there today where I was just thinking about how I felt when I was out there (during the BBL final). To bring myself back down to earth and control my emotions, I like to sing a song to myself. I started singing between every ball just to relax myself, take myself off the game and try to embrace it as much as possible.”
Australia are going through a transition and will be without several match-winners in the next World Cup, but Glenn Maxwell’s absence will be the most significant. He was a sheer match-winner with the bat and was more than a handy off-spinner, who contributed more than just being a matchup bowler.
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Cooper Connolly can perform the same role and has already given glimpses of his capabilities in a fairly young career. He does the hardest job for Australia in ODIs – batting in the lower order and providing impetus to the innings – and also gives a few overs with the ball.
In the current setup, Australia have Mitchell Owen, but Connolly has shown better expertise in handling pressure and constructing the innings wisely with different gears to bat in. When he came to the crease yesterday, the Aussies still required 133 in 23 overs, and Connolly ensured the required rate was always in check without losing his wicket.
While batting with the tail, he pushed the ball into the gaps and ran hard to keep the strike and eventually ensured India couldn’t get through despite chipping in with wickets at regular intervals. This was his maiden double-digit score in ODIs, and Cooper Connolly couldn’t have found a better time to assure his authority, as he looks to replace Maxwell in the setup.
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