Cricket world cup hero Glenn Maxwell hit double century in Norfolk

And one Norfolk club can claim to have played a part in the record-breaking performance by Australian Glenn Maxwell at the Cricket World Cup.

The 35-year-old put on an astonishing display battling through a back injury to hit a double century against Afghanistan to take his side through to the semi-finals.

Maxwell defied “horrific” back spasms to hit an unbeaten 201 and power his side from 91-7 to 293 and a three-wicket win - with his first one-day international double century.

Australian Glenn Maxwell hit a double century during his time playing for the village side Saham Toney in 2008. Now he has repeated that feat at the Cricket World Cup (Image: PA)

The performance was, at least in part, shaped by Maxwell's cricketing experience in Norfolk. 

He played for the village side at Saham Toney, near Swaffham, in 2009 when he was just 19.

Club chairman Simon Mower told ITV in 2019 that when Maxwell came over no-one at the club knew anything about him.

They had asked for a batsman who could bowl some spin and the rest was history.

In those days Maxwell even paid to play like everyone else.

Cor, Glenn Maxwell.

They'll be dancing on the streets of Saham Toney, Norfolk, where their former overseas star's picture still hangs on the pavilion wall. He had some serious 'Aussie surfer' sideburns in those days.#AUSvsAFG #CricketWorldCup2023 @IanClarke41 @Gmaxi_32 pic.twitter.com/ekiUopWGC9

— Rob Setchell (@RobSetchell) November 7, 2023

His World Cup performance was even foreshadowed at Saham Toney.

He made 217 in a match against Mundford in 2008 with a tally including 28 fours and seven sixes - a feat never equalled at the club.

Maxwell is only the third double-century at a World Cup. 

West Indies star Chris Gayle set a record of 215 against Zimbabwe in 2015 and New Zealand’s Martin Guptill topped it with 237 not out against the West Indies later in the same tournament.

Maxwell is also only the ninth man to make an ODI double hundred, with 11 such scores in total - as he hit ten sixs along with 21 fours.

His partner at the crease, Pat Cummins, said: “It’s got to be the greatest ODI innings that’s ever happened.”

A newspaper article back in 2008 after Saham Toney set two new Alliance records in a local derby win over Mundford as Glenn Maxwell made 217 (Image: Watton & Swaffham Times)