Maxwell puts aborted NSW move behind him

Glenn Maxwell insists he is comfortable with Victoria after admitting to a "stuff-up" in trying to move to New South Wales outside the window allowed for such moves.

As revealed by ESPNcricinfo, Maxwell was held to the terms of his Cricket Australia contract by Victoria, who forbade him from moving states after he came up the idea during the recent tour of Sri Lanka. NSW were open to the offer, but backed away as soon as it became clear the rules were not going to be stretched for Maxwell.

"I was looking for a change of scenery and a fresh start. New South Wales were kind enough to offer that to me. Unfortunately the timing wasn't quite right," Maxwell told The Age. "That was probably a stuff-up on our behalf - me, my management and Cricket Australia. They were happy for me to move, it was a good option, unfortunately it was just bad timing.

"I think with cricket the way it is these days, people move all the time. The guys have been absolutely fine. No one's really questioned it. They understood my reasoning and we just move on and do it like adults, and carry on the way we were preparing. The guys have been really good. No one's really mentioned it, to be truthful.

"I've slipped straight back in. Not that I really went anywhere. Everyone understood why I wanted to leave. Just give myself a challenge away from the comforts of home and try a fresh start somewhere else."

Maxwell also flagged his desire to bat higher in the order, believing this would help him add the consistency to his game that the national selectors were seeking when they dropped him from the ODI squad earlier this year. The incoming Bushrangers coach Andrew McDonald will undoubtedly be mindful of this.

"One-day cricket, when you're batting up the top of the order, it's a lot easier to be consistent," Maxwell said. "Having batted a lot at five and six the last few years, coming in at different situations, it's hard to really judge consistency in those areas. So if I can bat a bit higher and really show that I can bat a long period of time, I can have a greater effect on games."

Victoria's first match of the Matador Cup is against South Australia at the WACA Ground on Wednesday.