The 21-year-old fast bowler dismantled England for 131 at Optus Stadium, Perth, becoming only the second Australian male to claim five or more wickets on ODI debut.
Perth's Optus Stadium hosted a stunning piece of Australian cricket history on November 13, 2026, when 21-year-old Mahli Beardman ripped through England's batting line-up to finish with 6/24 on ODI debut, sending the tourists crashing to 131 all out in 33.4 overs in the opening match of the series.
The figures broke a record that had stood for 38 years. Tony Dodemaide's 5/21 against Sri Lanka at the W.A.C.A. in 1988 had been the benchmark for the best bowling performance by an Australian male on ODI debut, and Beardman now stands alone at the top of that list as only the second Australian man to take five or more wickets on debut in the format.
Beardman's opening burst was extraordinary: five wickets fell to him inside his first five overs. Across his full spell of 7.4 overs, he conceded just 24 runs and bowled one maiden. Harry Brook was the first to go, and Beardman then worked through Joe Root, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson and Jofra Archer to complete the six-wicket haul. Gus Atkinson, who finished unbeaten on 29, was one of the few England batters to show any resistance throughout the innings.
How does Beardman's 6/24 compare with the best Australian ODI debut bowling figures?
Today's performance places Beardman well clear of every other Australian bowler who has impressed on ODI debut. The next-best efforts in that list make for instructive reading. At Melbourne in 1983, Carl Rackemann took 4/39 against New Zealand, while the same venue saw Xavier Doherty claim 4/46 against Sri Lanka in 2010 and Xavier Bartlett take 4/17 against West Indies in 2024.
Stuart MacGill's 4/19 against Pakistan in Sydney in 2000 also featured among the notable debut performances, yet none of those four-wicket returns came within two wickets of what Beardman achieved in Perth.Mahli Beardman broke Tony Dodemaide's 38-year-old record on November 13, 2026, claiming 6/24 against England in Perth to register the best bowling figures by an Australian on men's ODI debut.
|
Rank |
Player |
Figures |
Opponent |
Venue |
Year |
|
1 |
Mahli Beardman |
6/24 |
England |
Perth Stadium, Perth |
2026 |
|
2 |
Tony Dodemaide |
5/21 |
Sri Lanka |
W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth |
1988 |
|
3 |
Xavier Bartlett |
4/17 |
West Indies |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
2024 |
|
4 |
Stuart MacGill |
4/19 |
Pakistan |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
2000 |
|
5 |
Carl Rackemann |
4/39 |
New Zealand |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
1983 |
|
6 |
Xavier Doherty |
4/46 |
Sri Lanka |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
2010 |
What role did Spencer Johnson play as England collapsed to 131?
Beardman's record-breaking haul did not come in isolation. Fellow seamer Spencer Johnson contributed 3/42 in the same match, and between them the two pace bowlers accounted for nine of the ten wickets that fell. The sustained pressure from both ends left England with little room to rebuild after the early collapse, and the total of 131 in 33.4 overs reflected how completely the Australian attack dominated the innings.