Five wickets in 28 balls at home: Mahli Beardman, 21, takes the best figures by any Australian on ODI debut
Western Australian fast bowler Mahli Beardman took 6-24 on his one-day international debut at Perth Stadium on Friday, the best figures ever by an Australian on debut, as England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs. Australia then won by seven wickets in 23.3 overs, led by captain Mitch Marsh's 30-ball 50, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. On a day Australian cricket had spent arguing about sandpaper, a 21-year-old from the South West changed the subject.
Updates
- 5.05pm AWSTLatest
Australia win by seven wickets, reaching 3-132 in 23.3 overs. Marsh makes 50 from 30 balls after Head falls first ball. Australia lead the series 1-0.
- 4.35pm AWST
Australia chasing 132 to win the first ODI.
- About 2.30pm AWST
England all out for 131 in 33.4 overs. Beardman finishes with 6-24, the best figures by an Australian on ODI debut, after removing Jofra Archer for the last wicket.
- Afternoon AWST
Beardman takes five wickets in 28 balls as England fall from 2-38 to 7-60.
Three things to know
- Beardman's 6-24 beats Tony Dodemaide's 5-21 against Sri Lanka in 1988, also in Perth, which had stood for 38 years as the only five-wicket haul by an Australian on ODI debut.
- His victims were Harry Brook, Joe Root in his 200th ODI, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson and Jofra Archer. England slid from 2-38 to 7-60 during his spell.
- Australia are without Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, who are being rested for the Test summer. The new-look side still won with more than half its overs unused: 3-132 in 23.3 overs.
Mahli Beardman has taken the best bowling figures by an Australian on one-day international debut, 6-24 against England at Perth Stadium on Friday, as the tourists were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs. Australia then chased the target down in 23.3 overs to win by seven wickets and lead the series 1-0.
Australia’s captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and bowled. England’s openers made a steady start before left-armer Spencer Johnson removed Ben Duckett, and when Beardman came on in the 10th over England were 2-38. Within 28 balls he had five wickets, and England were 7-60.
How did he do it?
With pace, and a ball that moved late. Harry Brook went first, edging a 141km/h delivery that angled in and straightened to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. Joe Root, playing his 200th one-day international, followed for 17, also caught behind driving at one angling away. Jordan Cox nicked off, Sam Curran was caught at fine leg off a bouncer for a duck, and Liam Dawson fell an over later. Beardman returned to take the last wicket, Jofra Archer for 11.
Johnson finished with 3-42, including a one-handed return catch to remove Jamie Overton. Only Gus Atkinson, unbeaten on 29 batting at No. 10, Will Jacks and Tom Banton reached 20 for England.
“It all happened very quickly,” Beardman said in a television interview at the innings break.
How did Australia finish it?
Fast, after a wobble. Travis Head fell to Gus Atkinson first ball, but Marsh hit 50 from 30 balls, Cooper Connolly made 27 and Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 26 as Australia reached 3-132 with 26.3 overs to spare. Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer took a wicket each.
Who is Mahli Beardman?
He grew up in Margaret River, in WA’s South West, and moved to Perth to attend Aquinas College. He was player of the match in the final when Australia won the 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, and he plays for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers. Before Friday, his only international match was a T20 against Pakistan in Lahore in January.
Marsh said a West Australian could not have asked for a better place to make his debut, and described his side as young and inexperienced but full of energy.
Why does it matter?
Because of who is missing. With Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Boland rested for a four-Test series against New Zealand and tours of India and England next year, Australia’s selectors are looking for the next fast bowler to carry the attack. Beardman just put his hand up in the loudest possible way.
It also gave Australian cricket something else to talk about. Less than four hours before the toss, Cummins called the claims in Usman Khawaja’s new autobiography about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal “complete and utter nonsense”, a row VNN has been following all week.
Where does his spell rank?
Only three bowlers have taken better figures on ODI debut, led by Scotland’s Charlie Cassell with 7-21 against Oman in 2024, then South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (6-16) and West Indian Fidel Edwards (6-22).
VNN will update this story as more is confirmed.
How we got here
The key moments that brought this story into focus. Open any moment for detail.
January 1988The old mark
Tony Dodemaide takes 5-21 against Sri Lanka in Perth on ODI debut.
February 2024Under-19 world champion
Beardman is player of the final as Australia beat India for the Under-19 World Cup.
January 2026First cap
Beardman makes his T20 international debut against Pakistan in Lahore.
13 November 2026ODI debut
Beardman takes 6-24 against England at Perth Stadium and Australia win by seven wickets.
What happens next
The second ODI is in Adelaide on Sunday 15 November and the third in Hobart on Wednesday 18 November. Five T20 internationals follow, starting in Melbourne on Saturday 21 November. Australia's Test summer against New Zealand comes after the white-ball series, and Beardman's spell puts him firmly in the conversation for the fast-bowling places left open by the rested senior quicks.
Sources
- VNN
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