Cricket: Australia add Beardman to ODI squad for England series

Australia have added 19-year-old fast bowler Mahli Beardman to their squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against England that begins later this week.

Beardman’s addition comes off the back of a host of injuries to other seamers in the Australian team, with Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Riley Meredith and Josh Hazlewood all either sidelined or under injury clouds.

The West Australian is very green, with just one List A match under his belt.

However, he played a pivotal role for Australia at the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, taking 3/15 and winning man of the match in the final against India.

Beardman has already secured a Big Bash League contract, signing on with the Perth Scorchers last month.

“I think there’s still a lot of things that I can change in my action that can get me an extra little yard of pace,” the teen said earlier this year.

“I think there’s a long way for me to go in the gym to get more strength, so I definitely think I can hit the magical 150 mark.”

Even before Beardman’s inclusion, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald made it clear that his focus was on protecting veteran quicks Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood heading into the home Test series against India later in 2024.

“A lot of our priorities will be geared around that,” he said.

“You’ll see that unfold with the management of our players.

“We’ll be very pointed around who does what in terms of [Sheffield] Shield cricket coming into the summer to make sure that they are ready for that first Test match.”

Despite Australia’s fast-bowler stocks being depleted, they are clear favourites at cricket betting sites to win the upcoming series against England.

Bovada has them at -188.68 to claim the series, and as -151.52 favourites in the first ODI on Thursday in Nottingham.

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