Who is Mahli Beardman? Australia’s wild bags make their debut against England
Australia has a new wild creature in its ranks and its name is Mahli Beardman. The nickname was initially held by Shaun Tait for his ferocious pace and unique bowling action and was then given to Beardman’s West Australian teammate Lance Morris after he was included in the Australian Test team a few years ago.
AUS vs ENG 1st ODI UPDATE
Now the young Beardman has lived up to his nickname as he tore apart England’s batting line-up in front of a home crowd in Perth. The 21-year-old picked up five wickets in the first 28 balls of his career in ODIs, breaking several records.
WHAT A DEBUT Beardman takes on two of England’s biggest stars on debut Catch all the action from England’s Tour of Australia LIVE on FanCode #AUSvENG FanCode (@FanCode) November 13, 2026
Beardman made an immediate impact on his international debut, striking twice in quick succession to dismiss England captain Harry Brook and former captain Joe Root. His double knock left the visitors reeling at 55/4 after 14 overs, with the Perth Stadium surface offering plenty of pace and bounce.
But the Australian Under-19 World Cup star was far from done. He continued to tear through the English batting order, sending Jordan Cox, Sam Curran and Liam Dawson back to the pavilion to complete a memorable five-wicket haul.
He became the second Australian cricketer to take five wickets on his ODI debut after Tony Dodemaid. Beardman also became the fifth youngest bowler to take five wickets on debut.
YOUNGEST BOWLERS TO TAKE 5 WEEKS ON DEBUT
19y 75d – Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh) vs. India, Mirpur, 2014
19y 285d – Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) vs. India, Mirpur, 2015
20y 46d – Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2015
21y 65d – Charitha Buddhika (Sri Lanka) vs. Zimbabwe, Sharjah, 2001
21y 74d – Mahli Beardman (Australia) vs. England, Perth, 2026, today*
WHO IS MAHLI BEARDMAN?
Mitchell Johnson’s devastating spell during the 2013-14 Ashes left a lasting impression on Beardman, who grew to idolize the former Australian pacer. He also had the opportunity to learn from one of the great fast bowlers, Dennis Lillee, who mentored him during his formative years.
Beardman’s talent was identified early. He was just 10 years old when he first caught the eye playing cricket at Cowaramup. A subsequent two-year stay at Dampier proved another important phase in his development, with the Western Australian Cricket Association recognizing his potential.
His association with Lille began when he was 15 years old. A momentous opportunity came in 2022 when the youngster was invited to play against Australia’s senior players as they prepared for their Test series against the West Indies. That same year, he earned his first call-up to the Australia under-19 team for a series against England.
Beardman took his first steps in senior domestic cricket in 2023, making his List A debut for Western Australia against New South Wales. On this occasion he dismissed Moises Henriques for his first wicket.
His progress continued on the international age group circuit. Beardman was part of Australia’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup winning campaign, defeating India in the final. He played a significant role in the title triumph, returning impressive figures of 3/15 in the race for the top spot.
The fast bowler made his Big Bash League debut for the Perth Scorchers against the Sydney Thunder in 2025. He was rewarded with a senior contract from Western Australia later that year. His international journey began in 2026 when he represented Australia in a T20I against Pakistan.
In the lead-up to the ongoing home series against England, Beardman also featured for Australia A during their tour of India. He picked up five wickets in two matches in Puducherry, adding another promising chapter to his growing career.
Off the field, Beardman is from a different era of cricketers and looks to be off the net whenever possible and enjoys fishing and surfing.
“He’s a bubbly character. He’s a free spirit,” West Australian bowling coach Tim MacDonald told foxsports.com.au of Beardman.
“He’s always upbeat. He lifts the group when he’s there and that’s the energy you bring when you want to play fast and win cricket for your team, your country, your state.”
“He’s fun. He’s full of energy. He loves nature. He loves the water. He loves spear fishing. He dives, he fishes, he surfs.”
“He’s a big surfer. He grew up in the Margaret River region and then spent some time up in the Pilbara.”
“He loves the countryside, he loves the country and whenever he gets the chance he’s either on a boat, in a wetsuit, diving and surfing or camping.”
“We don’t see a lot of younger kids doing that these days.”
With Beardman bursting onto the scene, Australia will be hoping they’ve unearthed a gem that can replace an aging battery for years to come.
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