Beardman Takes Six on Debut as Australia Rout England
Mahli Beardman ODI debut produced a record six-wicket haul, as Australia thrashed England by seven wickets in the first ODI at Perth Stadium on Friday.
Beardman, 21, finished with six for 24 in 7.4 overs as England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs. Australia chased the target down in 23.3 overs, reaching 132 for three with 159 balls to spare.
The win gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which moves to Adelaide on Sunday and ends in Hobart on Wednesday.
Mahli Beardman ODI debut: a record first outing
Beardman’s figures were the best by an Australian bowler on ODI debut, beating Tony Dodemaide’s five for 21 against Sri Lanka in 1988. He is the first Australian since Dodemaide to take five wickets on ODI debut, and his figures were the fourth best overall for Australia in men’s ODIs.
He reached his five-wicket haul in just 28 balls, the quickest by an Australian bowler in ODIs. At 21 years, two months and 13 days old, he also became the youngest Australian to take a five-wicket haul in men’s ODIs.
Beardman struck with his first wickets by removing two of England’s best batters. Captain Harry Brook edged behind for one, and Joe Root followed for 17, both caught by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.
He then removed Jordan Cox for two, Sam Curran for nought and Liam Dawson for nought, before completing his six-wicket haul by having Jofra Archer caught at gully for 11.
Gus Atkinson, unbeaten on 29 off 32 balls, was England’s top scorer. Will Jacks made 25 off 47 balls and Tom Banton 25 off 27, while Ben Duckett managed nine. Spencer Johnson gave Beardman good support with three wickets for 42, and Xavier Bartlett took one for 46.
The debut came six days after Beardman went wicketless in 10 overs against a Western Australia XI in England’s tour warm-up match. On his home ground, in front of 27,313 fans, he produced a very different result.
Marsh fifty seals the chase
Australia lost Travis Head for a duck in the second over, caught off Atkinson, but captain Mitchell Marsh took charge of the chase. Marsh scored 50 off just 30 deliveries, with four fours and four sixes.
Cooper Connolly added 27 off 30 balls, with two fours and two sixes, before falling to Archer. Inglis, unbeaten on 23 off 42 balls, and Matt Renshaw, unbeaten on 26 off 38, then saw Australia home without further loss.
The chase was never in doubt after England’s low total, and Australia finished the job with more than half their overs unused.
A win amid off-field strain
The result came hours after captain Pat Cummins held an extraordinary press conference in Sydney, and during a week when Usman Khawaja’s autobiography reopened old divisions in Australian cricket. Beardman’s performance gave the home side a lift at a time when the focus had been off the field.
Beardman was named in Australia’s white-ball squads for the England series, with senior fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood rested for the limited-overs matches. His selection for the Perth opener was confirmed by Marsh before the match.
England had arrived in Perth expecting a fast and bouncy pitch, and the surface gave Beardman and Johnson all the help they needed. England’s batters never settled, and only Atkinson held firm at the end.
For England, the defeat continues a poor run at Perth Stadium. They lost heavily there in the first Ashes Test last November, and the batting collapse will worry the side with two more ODIs to play.
South Africa’s recent win over Australia showed how quickly a series can turn, and England will need a fast response in Adelaide to stay in this one. Pakistan’s Test against Sri Lanka is also heading for a tense finish in Rawalpindi.
Frequently asked questions
What were Mahli Beardman’s figures on ODI debut?
He took six wickets for 24 runs in 7.4 overs against England at Perth Stadium.
What is the record for best figures by an Australian on ODI debut?
Beardman’s six for 24, which beat Tony Dodemaide’s five for 21 against Sri Lanka in 1988.
What was the result of the first Australia vs England ODI?
Australia won by seven wickets, chasing 132 in 23.3 overs after bowling England out for 131.
When is the second ODI between Australia and England?
The second match is in Adelaide on Sunday, with the third and final game in Hobart on Wednesday.
