Australian youngster Mahli Beardman made an unforgettable start to his international career during the first ODI against England at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday, November 13. The right-arm pacer produced a devastating spell, dismantling the visitors’ batting line-up and putting Australia in a commanding position.
Beardman’s performance was particularly special as he achieved a rare milestone in Australian cricket history. The youngster became only the second Australian male to claim five or more wickets on his ODI debut, while also surpassing a record that had stood for 38 years.
Mahli Beardman claims six wickets to dismantle England
Beardman finished with remarkable figures of 6/24 in 7.4 overs, including one maiden, as England were bowled out for just 131 in 33.4 overs. He made an immediate impact by dismissing England captain Harry Brook before removing former skipper Joe Root as the visitors slipped to 55/4 after 14 overs.
The young pacer continued his impressive spell by dismissing Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson and Jofra Archer. Five of his six wickets came within his first five overs, leaving England’s batting order struggling to find answers on the Perth surface. Gus Atkinson offered some resistance with an unbeaten 29, but the visitors failed to recover from the early damage.
Beardman breaks 38-year-old record
Before Beardman’s remarkable performance, Tony Dodemaide held the record for the best bowling figures by an Australian male on ODI debut. He had registered figures of 5/21 against Sri Lanka at the WACA in 1988, and the record remained untouched for 38 years until Beard surpassed it with his six-wicket haul.
The 21-year-old now sits at the top of the Australian list with his figures of 6/24. Other notable performances include Carl Rackemann’s 4/39 against New Zealand in 1983, Stuart MacGill’s 4/19 against Pakistan in 2000, Xavier Doherty’s 4/46 against Sri Lanka in 2010 and Xavier Bartlett’s 4/17 against West Indies in 2024.
Beardman and Spencer Johnson run through England’s batting order
Beardman also received excellent support from fellow Australian pacer Spencer Johnson, who claimed three wickets for 42 runs. The two left-arm and right-arm pace options combined to take nine of England’s 10 wickets, ensuring that the visitors never managed to build a substantial partnership after losing early wickets.
The collapse left England all out for 131 in just 33.4 overs, with Atkinson’s unbeaten 29 standing out as one of the few contributions of resistance. Australia will now look to make the most of their dominant bowling performance as they aim to take an early lead in the three-match ODI series.
Also READ: Pat Cummins breaks silence on viral video with wife Becky amid Usman Khawaja’s sandpapergate claims
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
