Australia take on England in the opening One Day International in Perth, but all eyes are off the field as a civil war threatens to split Australian Cricket.
Pat Cummins held a marathon press conference denying Usman Khawaja’s fresh sandpaper allegations, saying they are “100 per cent wrong.”
However, David Warner says the Australian captain has thrown the former opener “under the bus” as the ghosts of 2018 continue to haunt Australia.
Can the return of on-field action cool the narrative? Follow all the action live.
Key Events
What now for Cummins and Khawaja?
Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja have been friends for 15 years, but their relationship has become the latest victim of Sandpapergate.
Mark Waugh critical of England
“It’s like they’ve never seen a pitch bounce before,” was his summary on comms.
Much like the Ashes last year, England have shown no willingness to stay away from driving on the up, much to their detriment once again.
Another one down!
Spencer Johnson joins in on the fun as Jamie Overton plays a truly horrific shot.
He steps back trying to swat a pull shot and can only pop it back at Johnson who leaps up and takes a great one handed catch.
England are 8-65.
Beardman has five!
This is now one of the all time debut spell as Mahli Beardman as five wickets inside five overs.
Outside off Liam Dawson drives hard and a simple catch goes to backward point as England sink further.
Mahli is just too fast and getting to much bounce for England at the moment.
His figures read 5-16
This is box office from Beardman!
No one in this crowd is thinking about sandpaper right now as Beardman is putting one of the all time spells
He flys past the edge of a loose drive from Sam Curran.
Curran repsonds with a crunching drive but Beardman sticks out one hand to stop it and then chucks down the stumps as Curran was breifly out of his crease.
Then off the last ball he goes upstairs with Curran top edging straight to fine leg to give Beardman is fourth and send the Aussie crowd into rapures.
He has 4-12 on debut and England are 6-58.
GONE Beardman has three!
His dream start to ODI cricket continues as this time Jordan Cox is caught behind by Inglis.
On a length angling in this one moves appreciably off the deck to get the edge and give Beardman is third wicket in just 3.1 overs.
England in genuine strife now at 5-56 with Sam Curran and Will Jacks at the crease.
Mahli’s got Root!
Mahli is on fire at Optus.
Unlike the dismissal of Brook this one didm’t seem to move as much but it’s a loose drive from Joe Root as he’s perhaps beaten for pace and edges behind.
What a start for the WA product!
Beardman has his first ODI wicket!
He gets the big fish to remove England captain Harry Brook who goes to defend but edges it behind to Ignlis.
Classic fast bowler dismissal as it just moves away after angling in at good pace at over 140kph to catch the edge.
He has figures of 1-2 after his first two overs and England are in a spot of bother at 3-46 after 12.
Another one down
Cooper Connolly dropped a relatively simple chance as Tom Banton sliced one to him at backward point.
But after Xavier Barltett had him playing and missing the next four balls he finally edges one behind, where Josh Inglis takes a sharp chance.
ENG 2-38
Good vibes at the ground
For all the drama off the field this week the mood at Optus is a good one obviously helped by the Barmy Army’s presence as well.
But there’s more than a decent crowd in for the middle iof the Friday and there’s been plenty of support for the Aussie team which has plenty of local WA talent with Mahli Beardman already making a couple impressive stops in the field.
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