MELBOURNE: Xavier Bartlett’s magnificent debut spell and Cameron Green’s brilliant all-round performance led Australia to a comfortable eight-wicket win in the first ODI at the MCG.
On his ODI debut, Bartlett tore through the West Indies’ top order, finishing with 4 for 17, the second-best figures for Australia behind current selector Tony Dodemaide, while Green claimed 2 for 40 and then made 77 not out in his first innings at No. 3 in ODI cricket, demonstrating his immense all-round talent.
Josh Inglis also scored a scorching 43-ball 65, while Steven Smith hit an understated unbeaten run-a-ball 79 as Australia crushed the West Indies’ underpar total of 231, which was supported by a career-best 88 from Keacy Carty and 59 from Roston Chase.
It was Bartlett’s spell that set up the victory. The 25-year-old Queenslander and Lance Morris were Australia’s first debutants to open the bowling in an ODI since 2016, and only the third since 1975. Bartlett took a wicket with his third delivery in ODI cricket, clipping the top of Justin Greaves’ off stump with a spectacular outswinger. He should have had a second three balls later when he hooped an inswinger into Alick Athanaze’s front pad, but the umpire believed it was shaping down, so Smith did not replay it. The ball-tracking projection indicated that the ball was striking the top of the leg stump.
It did not cost Bartlett, however, as he demonstrated his new-ball abilities from the BBL, swerving one way across Athanaze to scratch his outside edge. Later, in his six-over session with the new ball, he shaped another outswinger away from Shai Hope’s right hand, catching a thick edge that was well-pouched by Matt Short at slip.
He went 3 for 10 with a maiden following his first spell. He later returned to take his fourth wicket with the first ball of the 48th over, but couldn’t get a fifth as Sean Abbott concluded the innings in the 49th over.
Following Bartlett’s surge, West Indies fell to 59 for 4 when Green took the first of his two wickets. But Carty and Chase held the ship steady with a remarkable century stand.
Carty deserved a century on his own. After passing his highest ODI score after losing Chase, he was 12 runs short when Hayden Walsh Jr pulled him in for a suicidal single to cover, and Abbott delivered a direct hit with Carty miles short of his mark.
Carty met an untimely demise despite his outstanding performance. Walsh sank low at the other end, hoping the ground would swallow him up, fully aware that he had barbequed Carty while attempting to go off strike.
Carty was particularly impressed by Morris’s speed, producing two jaw-dropping flicks for six over backward square. He was also ferocious when Australia’s new firebrand overpitched, slamming numerous of his 140kph+ efforts into the ground.
Morris’ debut was significantly less impressive than Bartlett’s, as he surrendered 59 in 10 overs without taking a wicket.
