Australia is in deep trouble in the second ODI against the West Indies, losing seven wickets in the first 35 overs at the SCG.
Jake Fraser-McGurk’s maiden international knock only lasted five deliveries, but he packed plenty of excitement into those five balls.
After smacking a six into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly Stand, Fraser-McGurk feathered a catch behind for ten during the opening over of the innings, falling victim to Alzarri Joseph.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs West Indies scorecard, stats
Not long after, fellow opener Josh Inglis chipped towards point for 9, giving Joseph his second wicket of the afternoon.
Australian captain Steve Smith scratched his way towards 5 before chopping on in the eighth over as West Indies seamer Matthew Forde claimed his first wicket.
Before the first drinks break, all-rounder Cameron Green miscued a pull shot towards mid-on for 33, with Oshane Thomas snaring the breakthrough.
The following over, Marnus Labuschagne scooped a catch towards cover, falling to West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie for 26. Commentator Isa Guha described him as “irate”.
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Aaron Hardie and Matt Short combined for a fifty-run partnership for the sixth wicket to steady the innings. However, the West Australian all-rounder fell shortly after the duo reached the milestone, holing out to long-on for 26.
Short crawled towards a career-best 41 before gifting a return catch back to Motie in the 35th over, exposing Australia’s inexperienced tail. Motie finished his ten-over spell with figures of 3-28.
Earlier, West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bowl first at the SCG. Fraser-McGurk and Will Sutherland received their maiden caps, becoming Australia’s 246th and 247th men’s ODI cricketers.
Australia has chosen a new-look line-up for the second ODI against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with Travis Head and Xavier Bartlett rested from the fixture.
Head, who is going through a significant form slump with the bat, was released from the squad for the final two ODIs, citing a busy summer schedule. He has been replaced in the squad by Josh Hazlewood.
Bartlett meanwhile, picked up man-of-the-match honours on debut in the first ODI with the figures of 4-17, which were the second best in Australian one-day international history.
A Cricket Australia statement said the decision to rest Bartlett was due to “ongoing management”.
Bartlett kept level-headed following his outstanding debut performance, acknowledging opportunities to play for his country may be few and far between.
“We’ve got so many great fast bowlers at the moment. Obviously Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins are probably the top three to ever do it for Australia or in that conversation,” Bartlett said,
“And then I only really got my chance through Jhye Richardson’s injury and Nathan Ellis was injured as well.
“There’s definitely a long list of people in front of me. But I’ve just got to keep trying to do my best for Queensland, and if I get an opportunity at the higher level, just try and take it and just sort of almost learn as much as I can as well along the way.”
TEAMS
Australian XI: Josh Inglis (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Steve Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
West Indies XI: Justin Greaves, Alick Athanaze, Kjorn Ottley, Shai Hope (c, wk), Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Oshane Thomas
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2ND ODI SQUADS
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa
West Indies: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.