Mahli Beardman took 6/24 in 7.4 overs on his ODI debut at Perth, the best bowling figures by an Australian debutant. England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs, and Australia chased the target in 23.3 overs. They won by seven wickets with 159 balls to spare.
Beardman's Debut Spell: Key Metrics
The 21-year-old removed Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jordan Cox and Sam Curran in the first ODI of the series. Five of his six wickets came in a burst of just 28 balls.
His figures were efficient by any measure. The table below summarises the spell.
Mahli Beardman: ODI debut bowling figures| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Overs | 7.4 |
| Wickets | 6 |
| Runs conceded | 24 |
| Bowling average | 4.00 |
| Economy rate | 3.13 |
| Strike rate (balls per wicket) | 7.67 |
The 28-Ball Burst
Five wickets in 28 balls meant England lost control of the innings in a short window. The batters dismissed included Root, who was playing his 200th ODI.
Brook, Cox and Curran fell in the same phase, which stripped England's middle order of any stability.
Historical Context: Debut Bowling Records
Beardman's 6/24 surpasses Tony Dodemaide's 5/21, set in 1988. That mark had stood for 38 years as the best by an Australian on ODI debut.
Globally, Beardman is only the fifth bowler to take six or more wickets on ODI debut. He is the first Australian to do so.
Australian ODI debut bowling benchmarks| Bowler | Figures | Year | Status |
|---|
| Mahli Beardman | 6/24 | 2026 | Best by an Australian on debut |
| Tony Dodemaide | 5/21 | 1988 | Previous Australian best |
Dodemaide's figures were cheaper by three runs, but Beardman took one more wicket. The wicket count is what moves him ahead of the earlier record.
England's Innings: Where the Total Stalled
England's 131 came at roughly 3.89 runs per over. Few partnerships developed once Beardman broke through the top and middle order.
Gus Atkinson finished unbeaten on 29 and Will Jacks added 25. These were the only notable contributions to the total.
England innings: key contributors| Player | Contribution |
|---|
| Gus Atkinson | 29 not out |
| Will Jacks | 25 |
| Mahli Beardman (bowling) | 6/24 |
| Spencer Johnson (bowling) | 3/42 |
Support From Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson took 3 wickets for 42, which gave Australia nine of the ten England wickets between the two bowlers. Johnson's runs conceded were well above Beardman's, which shows how economical the debutant was in comparison.
Australia's Chase: 132 in 23.3 Overs
Australia reached the target with 159 balls unused. Captain Mitchell Marsh made 50 off 30 balls, a strike rate of 166.67, and hit four sixes.
Travis Head was dismissed first ball by Gus Atkinson. Cooper Connolly made 27 before Jofra Archer removed him, and Josh Inglis and Matt Renshaw closed out the chase.
Australia chase: selected batting returns| Batter | Runs | Detail |
|---|
| Mitchell Marsh | 50 | Off 30 balls, strike rate 166.67 |
| Cooper Connolly | 27 | Dismissed by Jofra Archer |
| Travis Head | 0 | First-ball dismissal by Gus Atkinson |
Analytical Takeaways
The result came down to two numbers: a 4.00 bowling average on debut and a chase that used only 141 of 300 balls. England never reached a competitive total, and Australia's run rate of about 5.6 per over was comfortable against it.
Beardman's debut sets a new benchmark for Australian bowlers. His next outings will show whether a six-wicket start can be sustained across a longer sample.