Mitch throws support behind Maxwell

Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has thrown his support behind embattled allrounder Glenn Maxwell after the Victorian was sanctioned by his national teammates.

Maxwell was hit with a team-imposed fine by the Australian Cricket Team’s leadership group on Friday following his recent comments about Bushrangers teammate and captain Matthew Wade.

“I think probably batting below the wicketkeeper is also a bit painful … the wicketkeeper should be batting at seven unless you're trying to squeeze an extra bowler into your line-up.” Maxwell said when asked about his batting position in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield team on Thursday.

Quick Single: Maxwell fined for Wade comments

Johnson, who retired from international duties last year but will line up for the Perth Scorchers in BBL|06, took to social media on Saturday to criticise Maxwell’s sanctioning.

"A fine, really!!” Johnson tweeted.

"Should be batting in front of a wicketkeeper considering he is a batsman. 

"He was only being honest right??"

Australia captain Steve Smith said all of Maxwell's teammates were disappointed with the comments and imposing a fine was a sufficient penalty.

“Everyone was disappointed in his comments,” Smith said. 

“I’ve expressed that to him myself and spoke to the team. 

“One of our values is respect and having respect for your teammates, opposition, the fans, the media. 

“I thought what he said was very disrespectful to a teammate and his Victorian captain." 

Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann said the fact Maxwell was batting behind Wade at Shield level had nothing to do with the allrounder not being considered for a call up for the recent Test match against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval.

Lehmann pointed to Maxwell's recent first-class record for Victoria, which shows he has failed to reach triple figures for more than two years and has only gone past 50 once this season.

Maxwell made 392 runs at 56 in the 2015-16 Shield season, however his last century for Victoria was against South Australia in February 2014, while 81 – coming in at No.6 and batting behind Wade – has been the highest contribution for his state this Shield campaign.

“(Maxwell) hasn’t made a hundred for two years,” Lehmann noted on Friday. 

“Are you going to pick a bloke who hasn’t made a hundred in two years?”

Despite being penalised, Maxwell is available for selection for Australia's Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series opener at the SCG on Sunday.

He was in sparkling form last time he played for the national side – in the T20 format in Sri Lanka in September – blasting a spectacular 145 not out from just 64 balls before backing it up with the fastest half-century in Australian T20 history, from just 18 balls.

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