Australia 258 for 9 (Abbott 69, Short 41, Motie 3-28) vs West Indies
Australia handed out two debuts to world-record holder Jake Fraser-McGurk, who replaced Travis Head at the top of the order, and allrounder Will Sutherland. Sutherland’s father James, the former Cricket Australia CEO, was at his cap presentation along with sister Annabel who had flown in early ahead of the rest of the Australia women’s squad to attend the game.
Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris were rested after their debuts at the MCG with the selectors wary of there being three games in five days.
Fraser-McGurk’s first international innings was brief but not dull. He swiped and missed at his first ball, was beaten by the bounce from his second, clubbed his third straight of mid-on and launched his fourth into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly Stand. With his fifth it was all over, as he edged Alzarri Joseph to the keeper.
Joseph had a second when Josh Inglis drove to backward point and when Steven Smith chopped on against Matthew Forde, Australia were 50 for 3 in the eighth over.
In the next over Marnus Labuschagne drove Motie to cover to leave Australia 91 for 5 and more than 33 overs still to bat.
Short and Aaron Hardie, two of the less experienced players trying to forge their way in the one-day side, batted steadily in a sixth-wicket stand of 51. Hardie was given a life on 18 when he reverse-swept to cover but Keacy Carty spilled the chance above his head. However, it didn’t prove too costly as Hardie gave his innings away when he pulled Motie to long-on.
When Short also fell to Motie it was left to the lower order to nurse the innings through. Abbott and Sutherland put on the highest stand, adding 57, although scoring was hard work for Sutherland before he was brilliantly caught at cover by Justin Greaves. Abbott cleared the fence three times in four overs with the first blow leaving a spectator needing treatment when he struck him the pavilion.
