Australia dominated the ODI series against the West Indies, and it seems they’ve discovered a promising pace bowler in Xavier Bartlett. The 25-year-old impressed in his debut, earning him the man-of-the-series award with remarkable stats of 8 for 38 in the 3-0 whitewash.
Bartlett’s success in the Big Bash League, where he topped the wicket-taking charts and helped the Brisbane Heat win the title, has elevated his status. There’s speculation that he might be considered for Test selection in the near future, following the path of Lance Morris, who deputized for Australia’s frontline quicks in Tests. ODI captain Steven Smith sees potential for Bartlett to take on a similar role soon.
It’s possible, there’s plenty of options out there,” he said. “We’re certainly not short of fast bowlers at the moment, you throw [Michael] Neser in there, [Scott] Boland, obviously he’s been around a lot, Jhye Richardson, he’s played a bit and he’s quality as well.”
Smith had high praise for Bartlett, who played a key role in dismantling the West Indies by taking 4 wickets for 21 runs. This impressive performance contributed to Australia restricting the West Indies to just 86 runs at Manuka Oval on Tuesday.
I remember facing him probably five or six years ago in the Gabba nets before a Test match…I thought ‘jeez, this guy presents a beautiful seam’, which you don’t often see,” Smith said. “I just remembered that randomly, and then seeing him come out in this series and bowl the way he did was outstanding.
“He presented that seam I spoke about, swung it and got the rewards so it looks like he’s got a bright future.”
Young batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk had a successful debut with the national team, showcasing his immense talent by scoring 41 runs off 18 balls during Australia’s comfortable chase.
It was exciting, wasn’t it? When he hits them, they certainly stay hit,” Smith said. “He’s certainly not short of confidence and it’s cool to see someone come in and at the age of 21, just play with such freedom and no fear at all.
“It’s cool to watch and I’m sure he’s gonna have some learnings along the way and things like that. But the way he’s playing right now, it’s exciting for everyone to watch.”
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