Mahli Beardman records six wickets on ODI debut as Australia beat England in Perth
Australia defeated England by 132 runs in the opening ODI of the series in Perth, with debutant Mahli Beardman taking six wickets.
Australia opened their three-match One-Day International series against England with a 132-run victory at Perth Stadium. The home side elected to bowl first after winning the toss, and fast bowler Mahli Beardman claimed six wickets for 24 runs in 7.4 overs, the best figures by an Australian on ODI debut. His haul included the wickets of Harry Brook, Joe Root, and several other England batsmen, helping to restrict the visitors to 132 runs.
England’s chase faltered after reaching 109 for 9 in the 33rd over, with Gus Atkinson adding a late surge of 18 runs in the final over but falling short of the target. England’s top scorer was Atkinson with 29 runs, while other contributions were limited.
Australia’s bowling attack, featuring Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett alongside Beardman, kept the pressure on throughout England’s innings. Bartlett finished with figures of 1 for 46 from 10 overs.
In post-match comments, Beardman expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying it was a “great privilege and honour to represent my country.” Team captain Mitchell Marsh highlighted the significance of the win for the squad’s confidence ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The match also saw Pat Cummins address recent allegations related to the 2018 sandpaper scandal in a separate press conference, rejecting claims that the entire Australian team was involved and describing the accusations as “complete and utter nonsense.”
England’s lineup for the game included Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), and other regulars, while Australia fielded Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Cooper Connolly, Matt Renshaw, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson and debutant Mahli Beardman.