Mahli Beardman: 'Think I can hit the magical 150 mark'

Mahli Beardman admits he's "pretty ambitious". Although his bid to clock the 150kph mark does not appear a stretch. You didn't need a speed gun to know that Beardman was unleashing serious heat during the recent Under-19 World Cup.

Beardman was a major handful on fast and bouncy surfaces in South Africa as India can attest to after succumbing to his hostility in the final. With his second ball he got through the defences of star batter Musheer Khan with a rapid delivery that crept low before dismissing captain Uday Saharan.

His most pointed dismissal, one that should spook batters worldwide, was reserved for opener and top-scorer Adarsh Singh, who was late on a fierce short delivery angled in from around the wicket to catch the glove and be caught behind.

Beardman finished with 3 for 15 to be named player of the final. The last Australian to do that at the Under-19 World Cup was Josh Hazlewood in 2010 as the new generation emulated their heroes by convincingly beating India to lift the World Cup trophy.

Along with Callum Vidler, Charlie Anderson and Tom Straker, Beardman was part of an intimidating pace quartet that roughed up opponents.

"I think anytime you play those subcontinent countries, they're going to be a little bit susceptible to the shorter ball," Beardman told ESPNcricinfo. "I think ball speed and using our short ball was definitely in our plans. We wanted to replicate what the senior team did [against India in the World Cup final]."

Beardman, who is 6 foot 2 and turns 19 in August, charges to the crease athletically before putting his wiry frame through the wringer at release to ensure maximum force. He can swing the new ball at pace and - as expected from an Australian quick - has a nasty bouncer in his armoury.

Beardman can already hit the mid-140kph and he's not done. "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," he said. "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."

Beardman's emergence will not surprise those ashen-faced kids tasked with fronting up to the then 12-year-old's 115kph thunderbolts on astro turfs in the remote town of Dampier in northern Western Australia.

"I bowled mainly indoors off a shortened run, but when I was able to let it rip outdoors there were a few complaints [from batters]," Beardman laughed when recalling his exploits at a young age.

Given his intimidatory bowling, it's easy to envision Beardman as one of those bigger and stronger kids bullying his way through the junior ranks.

"I was actually always really small and a good five-six centimetres shorter than everyone else. I only started really growing in Year 9-10," he said.

Beardman's diminutive stature did not make him contemplate taking up anything other than trying to bowl as fast as possible.

"No chance," he laughed when asked if he considered focusing on batting or spin. "From a young age, I loved bowling pace. I think it's a natural thing. I was lucky with genetics... fast-twitch fibres... and had a love for bowling quick."

Like many others of a similar age, Beardman was left transfixed at Australia's whitewash of the Ashes in 2013-14. "I think seeing what Mitchell Johnson did in that series changed my whole mindset of the sport," said Beardman, who was eight years old when Johnson famously took 37 wickets as Australia convincingly regained the Ashes.

"I decided pace bowling is what I wanted to do. But from a young age I was surrounded by really good coaches who helped with my action and understanding how to bowl fast."

The most high-profile of his mentors is legendary quick Dennis Lillee, who has taken Beardman under his wing since they were introduced by a mutual family friend.

"I've been working with him since I was about 14 or 15," Beardman said. "He's been unbelievable for me from a cricket sense, but also from a character point of view. It can be a pretty taxing game.

"I've got a long way to learn. I think it's just awesome being able to have someone with so much wisdom and knowledge to bounce ideas off."

Beardman has also had words of wisdom from Pat Cummins after training with the Australia team at the WACA ahead of the West Indies Test in late 2022. There's an endearing photo of Cummins and Beardman arm-in-arm that has done the rounds and might just foreshadow a changing of the guard down the track.

"I didn't have a lot to say to Pat, I was pretty nervous," Beardman recalls of his meeting with Cummins.. "I tried to pick his brain. One thing that he did tell me was the importance of crease angles...bowling wide and not being stationary.

"That has been a big difference for me because I started experimenting...going wider and changing things up to batters."

Cummins' fingerprints were all over Beardman's dismissal of Musheer in the Under-19 World Cup final, where he delivered wide of the crease and angled in to knock over a rising batter who just last month scored a double century in the Ranji Trophy.

Having been something of a prodigy in Western Australian cricket for a while, it was just a matter of time before Beardman made his state debut. With star quicks Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris sidelined, he got his chance in November and made the trip to Sydney after being named in WA's Marsh Cup squad against New South Wales.

Beardman did not expect he would make the final XI until he received the news of his selection the night before the match. He was in a state of shock, but a long sit down with experienced quick Jason Behrendorff, his room-mate, calmed his nerves.

"Dorff was just awesome and reassured me that everything's going to be all good," Beardman said.

WA had not lost a Marsh Cup match in two years, but they struggled batting on the notoriously slow Cricket Central surface in a rain-interrupted innings to be bowled out for a modest 216.

WA needed early wickets, but Behrendorff and Charlie Stobo could not break through as skipper Ashton Turner gave the ball to Beardman in the fifth over.

"Just back yourself in. Do what you do best, run in hard and get in the contest," Turner told Beardman.

His dream was coming true but a nervous Beardman barely was able to properly complete his action as he delivered to veteran NSW batter Daniel Hughes.

"That's going to be the hardest ball you will ever bowl in your life," WA veteran quick Andrew Tye told Beardman after running over and giving him an encouraging pat on the body.

You are kidding?!

WA's Mahli Beardman picks up his maiden #MarshCup wicket in bizarre fashion! #PlayOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/XbcueVZ9Hw

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 4, 2023

Beardman settled and only conceded one run in his first over, but was thrashed in his next over by Hughes before being taken out of the attack. With NSW cruising at 113 for 2 after 21 overs, Beardman was summoned a task by Turner.

"Just build pressure and tie down an end and we can get a wicket that way," Turner told him.

Beardman did exactly that in an impressive four-over spell bowling into a strong breeze. On Beardman's last delivery, Turner's prediction came true albeit not from the playbook. In a comical first professional wicket, Beardman dismissed Moises Henriques after he drilled straight at batting partner Blake Macdonald, with the ball bouncing off his back and into the hands of mid-on.

"It was pretty funny," laughed Beardman, who finished with 1 for 42 from six overs. "I don't think I really got him out. But it's a pretty cool first wicket to get a player of his calibre and have that on the scorecard."

WA lost the thrilling match by two wickets and Beardman did not crack their powerful team again for the remainder of the season. But having emerged on the scene, with his name now known worldwide, Beardman looms as an exciting prospect who might just have a breakout next season.

Before then Beardman will undergo a rigorous off-season. He has identified some technical improvements - for starters, his back leg tends to kick out at the point of release - and there will be a lot of time spent in the gym as he aims to get bigger and stronger in a determined effort to bowl even faster.

"I'm pretty ambitious, so I would love to play BBL for Scorchers and also just play consistent cricket for WA," he said. "It's been awesome to get a little bit of recognition, but when you're surrounded by professional cricketers you get brought down to earth pretty quickly, which is great.

"This will be a big preseason for me and I'm going to keep working hard. Hopefully higher honours will come. I'm always going to dream big."