Debutant Mahli Beardman stole the show at Optus Stadium as his 6-wicket haul derailed England and put them on the back foot. Beardman put on a show as Australia never looked back in this game. It was a struggle for the English batters, with Gus Atkinson scoring an unbeaten 29 and being the top-scorer while Tom Banton and Will Jacks made 25 each. England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs.
Australia removed both the openers in the power play.Â
Put into bat first, Tom Banton and Ben Duckett came out to bat for England as openers while Xavier Bartlett had the ball in hand for Australia. Duckett was off and running with a clip past the keeper for a boundary. Spencer Johnson had the new ball in hand from the other end. Banton got a streaky boundary away as he looked to pull and the top edge flew over the slips for a boundary. Banton leaned into the ball and the ball went past mid-on for a boundary. Bartlett continued and bowled a tight over.
Johnson continued and bowled another tight over. Bartlett continued as Duckett creamed the drive through mid-on for a triple. Banton then threw the kitchen sink at the ball and hit it through covers for a boundary. Spencer continued and drew the first blood for Australia as he removed Duckett for 9 off 14 balls with one four to his name as Edwards took the catch at backward point. Joe Root walked out to bat in his 200th ODI. Root got off the mark soon.
Bartlett continued as Banton pulled it through square leg for a boundary. Banton then clipped the ball past square leg for a boundary. Johnson continued and bowled a probing over. Root was given a lifeline as Cooper Connolly dropped a sitter at backward point. Bartlett gave the breakthrough for Australia as he removed Banton for 25 off 27 balls with 5 fours to his name as the edge carried to Josh Inglis behind the stumps. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next.
Debutant Mahli Beardman came onto bowl the last over of power play. Beardman started with a maiden as England were 38/2 in 10 overs with Root unbeaten on 4 off 19 balls alongside Harry Brook unbeaten on 0 off 0 balls. We now entered into the middle phase of the game.
Mahli Beardman’s 5-wicket haul rocks England and sees them reeling in 25 overs.Â
Xavier Bartlett continued after the power play and kept it tight despite conceding a wide. Beardman continued and got his debut wicket as he dismissed Brook for 1 off 4 balls with a caught behind to the keeper Inglis. Jordan Cox came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Bartlett continued and kept things tight. Beardman continued as Root looked to defend to the nip backer and the ball flew past leg stump and away to the fine leg fence for a boundary.
Beardman got another as he removed Root for 17 off 36 balls with one four to his name as Inglis got another catch. Drinks was taken at this stage with Sam Curran joining Jordan Cox at 55/4 in 14 overs. Spencer returned after the break and bowled a tight over. Beardman continued and was on a roll as he now removed Cox for 2 off 7 balls with an edge through to the keeper. Will Jacks walked in next and got a wide delivered to him.
Beardman got another as he removed Curran for a 7-ball duck with the top edge taken by Zampa at deep fine leg through a top edge. Liam Dawson came out to bat next with England at 58/6 in 16 overs. Johnson continued and bowled a decent over. Beardman continued and got his maiden 5-wicket haul as he removed Dawson for a 6-ball duck with Edwards taking the catch at backward point. Jamie Overton came out to bat next and got off the mark with a triple through mid-on.
Johnson continued and got another as he removed Overton for 4 off 6 balls caught and bowled with England at 65/8 in 19 overs. Gus Atkinson came out to bat next. Beardman continued and bowled a tidy over. Bartlett returned to the attack. Atkinson stood tall and slapped the ball past covers for a boundary. Jack Edwards came into the attack next. He bowled a quiet over. Bartlett too bowled a decent over. Edwards too bowled a decent over.
Bartlett continued as Jacks drove it down the ground and placed it between mid-on down the ground for a boundary. At the halfway stage of the innings, England were 91/8 in 25 overs with Jacks unbeaten on 18 off 30 balls and Atkinson unbeaten on 10 off 13 balls.
Mahli Beardman completes 6-wicket haul as England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs.Â
Adam Zampa came into the attack next and started with a maiden. Jack Edwards continued and bowled another maiden. Zampa continued and conceded a wide but kept things tight. Edwards continued as Jacks pulled it away in front of square past mid-on and deep midwicket for a boundary. Zampa continued as England crossed 300 in 29.3 overs. England were 102/8 in 30 overs at Drinks for the second time was taken at Perth.
Spencer Johnson came back into the attack post the break and got rid of Jacks for 25 off 47 balls with 2 fours to his name as Inglis got another catch with the gloves on. Jofra Archer came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary with a cut between backward point and deep third man for a boundary. Beardman came back into the attack and conceded a wide but kept things tight.
Johnson continued as Archer survived a run out check at the bowler’s end. Atkinson pulled it past deep midwicket for a boundary. He conceded a wide and then slapped the ball over deep cover for a boundary. Atkinson took on Johnson and clobbered him with a pull over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Beardman continued as Archer leaned into the ball and drove him past mid-off for a boundary.
Beardman finished with a 6-wicket haul as he removed Archer for 11 off 16 balls with 2 fours to his name as Edwards got another catch to his name at backward point. Atkinson remained unbeaten on 29 off 32 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name as England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs. 8 extras given by the fielding side.
Australia had a field day out there with Mahli Beardman was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 6/24 in 7.4 overs. Spencer Johnson finished with 3/42 in 9 overs. Xavier Bartlett finished with 1/46 in 10 overs. Jack Edwards finished with 0/10 in 4 overs. Adam Zampa finished with 0/7 in 3 overs. This means that Australia needed 132 runs to win for a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Who’s Winning, Australia or England?Â
Despite a recovery from 65/8 to 131 all out, England have got a below par score on the board. Australia will fancy chasing it down. The pitch may be challenging, but it’s not 131 all out pitch. England would require a herculean effort to defend this score by getting early wickets. It’s advantage Australia for sure. Let’s see how the chase steps up from here.
Also Read:Â AUS vs ENG: Australia & England Set For Epic ODI Series