Mahli Beardman produced a dream ODI debut at Perth Stadium, taking 6 for 24 as Australia crushed England by seven wickets in the first ODI. England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs, and Australia chased it down in 23.3 overs with 159 balls to spare, Mitchell Marsh making 50 off 30 balls.
Beardman, 21, began with a maiden after being introduced in the 10th over. His first wicket, with his eighth delivery, was a pearler that angled in and moved away to catch Harry Brook’s edge; he then removed Joe Root for 17 on the former captain’s 200th ODI. Cox, Curran and Dawson followed — the last two without scoring — and Beardman had his five-for in just 28 balls, the quickest by an Australian in ODIs, before dismissing Archer to finish the innings. His figures are the best by an Australian on ODI debut, beating Tony Dodemaide’s 5 for 21 against Sri Lanka in 1988, and the fourth-best by a debutant in ODI history.
England’s collapse was total. After reaching 24 without loss in five overs, they lost 10 for 117 and at one stage were 65 for eight, with eight wickets falling to edges behind the wicket — Inglis took five catches and Edwards three in the gully. Johnson took 3 for 42 and Bartlett 1 for 46. Will Jacks (25) and Gus Atkinson (29 not out) added 37 for the ninth wicket to take England past their lowest ODI score of 86 against Australia.
Root’s milestone day did not go to plan. He became only the third Englishman to play 200 ODIs, after Eoin Morgan (225) and Jos Buttler (204), but crawled to 17 from 36 balls after being dropped on three by Connolly. Travis Head fell for a golden duck to Atkinson’s first ball, but Marsh blasted 50 off 30 balls — his fourth consecutive ODI fifty, with four sixes. Connolly made 27, and Matthew Renshaw (26 not out) and Inglis (23 not out) finished the job in front of 27,313 fans.
The match was played hours after Pat Cummins’ extraordinary press conference in Sydney, where he dismissed claims in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography as “complete and utter nonsense”. Australia were without Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Boland, all rested ahead of the Tests, while England were without Bethell (knee) and Tongue (toe). “I’m not really sure what’s just happened,” said Beardman, who was presented with cap No. 255 by Mike Hussey. “It’s just a great privilege to be able to represent my country.” Only nine months ago, he was diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture in his back. The second ODI is in Adelaide on Sunday, November 15, with the third in Hobart on November 18.
Related:
- Root’s 200th ODI and Beardman’s Debut Headline Australia-England Series Opener in Perth — https://t20star.com/roots-200th-odi-and-beardmans-debut-headline-australia-england-series-opener-in-perth/
- Jacob Bethell Ruled Out of England’s Australia White-Ball Tour After Knee Setback as Coles and Jack Earn Call-Ups — https://t20star.com/jacob-bethell-ruled-out-of-englands-australia-white-ball-tour-after-knee-setback-as-coles-and-jack-earn-call-ups/
