Source : the age
Mahli Beardman has stamped his reputation as the next big thing in Australian cricket by producing a sizzling ODI debut in his team’s crushing seven-wicket victory over England in Perth.
On a day when Australian cricket was still knee-deep dealing with the ghosts of sandpapergate 2018, Beardman snared 6-24 as the tourists were skittled for 131 in 33.4 overs at Optus Stadium.
In reply, Mitch Marsh smashed 50 off 30 balls as Australia reached the victory target with a whopping 159 balls to spare. Matt Renshaw (26 not out) and Josh Inglis (23 not out) finished the job.
The result gave Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series before game two in Adelaide on Sunday.
While Marsh provided the fireworks with four sixes and four fours before holing out in the deep, it was Beardman’s performance that will live long in the memories of the 27,313 fans at the stadium on Friday.
The 21-year-old was near unplayable at times, with England collapsing from 2-38 to 7-60 on the back of Beardman’s devastating burst.
It marked just the second time an Australian has produced a five-wicket haul in their ODI debut, following Tony Dodemaide’s 5-21 against Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground in 1988.
Only some late handy runs from Gus Atkinson (29 not out off 32 balls) and Will Jacks (25) ensured England made it to triple figures, with the visitors 8-65 at one stage.
“It all happened very quickly,” Beardman told Fox Cricket when asked about his big haul.
“It’s just a great privilege and honour to be able to represent my country. And to go out and take a few wickets as well is the cherry on top.
“Harry Brook was a nice wicket to get off the mark. Anytime you get your first one it’s a weight off your shoulders, so that was awesome.”
Beardman, who was handed his ODI cap by Test legend Mike Hussey, received a big cheer from his home town crowd when he was introduced into the attack for the 10th over – a maiden.
The right-arm paceman snared his maiden ODI wicket in his next over when he found the edge of England captain Brook (1).
That was just a taste of things to come.
Hitting speeds of up to 145.4km/h, Beardman was able to entice 200-game milestone man Joe Root (17 off 36 balls) to drive on the up to gift wicketkeeper Josh Inglis his third catch of the innings.
And Beardman was on a hat trick when he collected the scalp of Jordan Cox at the start of his fourth over – again with another pearler of a delivery that caught the edge.
Beardman’s hat-trick ball was anticlimactic – a wide down the leg side.
But while his first three wickets came courtesy of fuller deliveries that featured swing and seam, Beardman’s next wicket proved his pace and bounce is also a major weapon.
Sam Curran’s attempted pull off Beardman’s bouncer gave Adam Zampa a catch on the boundary rope.
Spencer Johnson (3-42) ensured the party continued by jumping high in the air to pull off a one-handed catch off his own bowling to send Jamie Overton packing.
Atkinson and Jofra Archer (11) struck a series of boundaries in a 29-run last-wicket stand before Beardman completed the demolition job by having Archer caught at gully.
Beardman’s figures were the fourth best by a debutant in ODI world cricket, with Charlie Cassell’s effort of 7-21 for Scotland against Oman in 2024 still the best.
And Beardman’s five-wicket haul was complete when Liam Dawson was caught at gully, giving the West Australian figures of 5-13 off 4.4 overs at that point.
To mark the special moment, the Australian team formed a circle around Beardman as the rising star raised the ball in the air.
Unsurprisingly, Mahli Beardman has been named player of the match after his 6-24 on debut.
“That was a lot of fun. It was an incredible day and an incredible game,” the 21-year-old told Fox Cricket’s Adam Gilchrist.
“I went to bed … extremely nervous. I’ve obviously got some fond memories here at Optus Stadium, so I think that helped settle the nerves. And I’m fortunate enough to have Bise [Mitch Marsh] and such an amazing group around me that seemed to calm everything down. It was easier after that first ball and that first wicket, and that managed to settle the nerves.”
England’s captain Harry Brook said his team had prepared well after arriving in Australia last week, but Mahli Beardman was “outstanding and put the ball in the right areas”.
On the batting, Brook said: “The Australian attack bowled extremely well, and we didn’t execute our skills well enough.”
Matt Renshaw hits over the top and Australia have won by seven wickets.
Renshaw finishes 26 not out, while Josh Inglis is 23.
The Aussies have chased England’s paltry total of 131 inside 24 overs.
The victory was set up by Mahli Beardman, the local boy who took 6-24 on debut – the best ODI figures by an Australian on debut. Spencer Johnson also took three wickets. After that, captain Mitch Marsh belted a 30-ball 50 to ensure Australia cruised home.
England have two days to respond before the second ODI in Adelaide.
Josh Inglis brings the 100 up for Australia. They’re racing towards knocking over England’s modest total of 131.
Matt Renshaw survived a DRS for a caught-behind appeal, but there was nothing on the bat as the ball went down the leg side.
Both Inglis and Renshaw are looking comfortable at the crease. Renshaw’s just pulled Jamie Overton over mid-wicket for back-to-back boundaries.
Australia require10 runs to win.
Inglis 23, Renshaw 21
Australia are 3-127 – 23 overs
Cooper Connolly is out! The rising batting all-rounder lets out a huge sigh of frustrating as he guides a ball to backward point and is caught. It was a soft dismissal. He goes for 27. He’s naturally angry with himself, and so he should be – this was a chance to guide Australia home and push his name further ahead of next month’s Test series against New Zealand, which starts at this very venue in Perth.
Jofra Archer has come back a bit since the Mitch Marsh onslaught. He’s coming around the wicket to Matt Renshaw and squaring up the left-hander. Renshaw has just had a giggle after edging through second slip to the boundary.
Inglis 8, Renshaw 5
Australia are 3-96 – 15 overs
Mitch Marsh’s fine innings comes to an end. He hit 50 and the very next ball he holds out at deep square-leg. Nevertheless, his half-century was the third fastest of his ODI career and came off just 29 deliveries. He might have been defensive during his pre-match press conference, but he was anything but with the willow in hand this evening.
Josh Inglis has joined Cooper Connolly, who has carried off where Marsh let off and hits a six shortly after his captain’s exit.
Australia are cruising, requiring 54 runs to win.
Connolly 17, Inglis 5
Australia are 2-78 – 10 overs
Chance. Big chance. Dropped. Or did he even get a hand to it? He didn’t. Connolly tried to smash Archer over the square leg boundary but got a massive leading edge. It went a mile in the air. Tom Banton was the man under it, but he made a meal of it. To be fair, it did go miles in the air. As Adam Gilchrist says: “It’s a chance, a very tough chance.” David Warner adds: “It’s hard to practise for something like that”.
Marsh is 24, Connolly 7
Australia are 1-32 – 5 overs
Gone! Travis Head is bowled first ball. The left-hander’s chopped Gus Atkinson on. It was full, but he played down the wrong line and got a thick inside edge onto his stumps. So there’s life for England yet.
Cooper Connolly will join his West Australian teammate in the middle. The left-hander sees out the rest of the over. So it’s a wicket-maiden from Atkinson.
Mitch Marsh isn’t mucking about, though. He’s taking a liking to Archer. The big right-hander’s whacked two sixes in three balls.
Marsh 24, Connolly 1
Australia are 1-26 – 4 overs
After a dramatic day off the field, Mitch Marsh and Travis Head will be out to ensure they finish the excellent work from Mahli Beardman and bury England. A victory won’t stop the headlines in the newspapers tomorrow, but it can make sure they’ve done everything possible to ensure their actions are doing the talking.
Jofra Archer has the new ball. Marsh, the Australian captain, who played the straightest of bats on Thursday regarding his knowledge of the events at Newlands, is on strike.
Marsh starts with a boundary. After a few dots to begin with, he charges Archer and turns it into a full toss and drives through the covers to the boundary. Now, Marsh drives over the top of the bowler for two. He didn’t get all of that, but that’s another sign of his intent.
Marsh 6, Head 0
Australia are 0-6 – 1 over
Fresh from setting a new Australian one-day international record for best bowling figures on debut, fast bowler Mahli Beardman admitted he couldn’t believe how well things had played out.
Beardman took 6-24 in a sensational debut. It beats Tony Dodemaide’s 5-21 on debut against Sri Lanka in 1988.
“I’m not sure what just happened,” Beardman told Kayo Sports.
“It all happened very quickly. It’s just a great privilege to represent Australia and to take a few wickets as well is just a cherry on top.
