Debutant Owen joins exclusive club with Ponting and Warner in Australian victory

Mitch Owen converted his Big Bash League heroics into an Australian debut to remember as the freewheeling Tasmanian and a sharp Cameron Green overpowered the West Indies in the first T20 at Sabina Park.

While Jake Fraser-McGurk was preferred at the top of the order and did not last long, 23-year-old Owen showed his domestic league performances would translate to the top level by crushing no fewer than six sixes on his way to 50 from 27 balls.

Mitch Owen goes big.Credit: AFP

Owen’s stand of 80 with Green (51, 26 balls) was brutal in its execution, as the burly Australian lineup tallied 17 sixes overall, well clear of the nine struck by the hosts when they batted first.

Only two other Australian players have made 50 on their T20 debuts, and they are a pair of storied names: Ricky Ponting in 2005 and David Warner in 2009. Owen’s parents and partner were in Jamaica for the occasion, which began with a cap presentation from his Hobart Hurricanes teammate Nathan Ellis.

“It’s great to join those class players,” Owen said afterwards. “I’ve just been trying to play positive over the last nine months, and I just try to put pressure on the bowlers. I went out there and tried to hit a six first then work my way down.”

While it was widely stated that Owen was batting out of position in the middle order, it’s where he had started out for the Hobart Hurricanes before going up to the top. It’s possible to see something similar happen for Australia.

For the time being, Owen’s combination of clean hitting and sensible strike rotation is going to be a useful addition to the team’s suite of options for next year’s T20 World Cup. With Travis Head and Matt Short at home, there are opportunities for others.

The same is true for the bowlers while Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are resting, and Ben Dwarshuis and Ellis were particularly effective in pulling back a flying start by the West Indies.

After Roston Chase (60, 32 balls), Shai Hope (55, 38 balls) and Shimron Hetmeyer (38, 19 balls) all got going, the Caribbean side looked capable of posting a tally in the 220 region.

However Dwarshuis (4-36) and Ellis combined nicely around a typically tidy spell from Adam Zampa to ensure the West Indies did not get away. From 2-159 in the 16th over, the West Indies lost 6-40 to close out the innings, including 4-6 in the final two overs of the innings.

The bowlers were, in turn, well-supported in the field. Glenn Maxwell took three catches, while Green’s two were both outstanding.

By contrast, the last hope for the West Indies was extinguished when the substitute fielder Jewel Andrew dropped a straightforward outfield catch offered up by Sean Abbott with seven runs still required. Owen and Australia were not only more powerful, they were neater as well.

Mitch Owen is man of the match.

He’s joined Ricky Ponting in 2005 and David Warner in 2009 as Australians with half centuries on T20 debut - a couple of top quality names.

“It’s great to join those class players,” he says. “I’ve just been trying to play positive over the last nine months, and I just try to put pressure on the bowlers. I went out there and tried to hit a six first then work my way down.”

West Indies skipper Shai Hope says his side can take some positives from the game, but feels they left themselves about 30 runs short with the bat.

Australian captain Mitch Marsh was happy with how his bowlers rounded off the innings and had plenty of praise for Owen.

“The way we fought back with the ball, our last five overs were outstanding. Then we had a lot of power with the bat in the middle. Any time you get a young kid who comes in and performs like that it’s exciting. We’re pumped for him. We’ll try to create an environment where he can keep doing that for us.”

Australia 7-190 win by three wickets

Abbott and Dwarshuis make the most of the reprieve in the previous over to secure victory with seven balls to spare.

Australia will be grateful for Owen’s excellent debut, a powerful half century from Cam Green and also the superb work by the bowlers and fielders to clamp down on the West Indies after they looked capable of posting 220-plus.

Tellingly, it was a conclusive victory for Australia in the power stakes. West Indies hit nine sixes in their total, but Australia had passed that tally in the first 10 overs, and finishes with 17 sixes in all: Owen and Green pummeled 11 between them.

Wicket! Australia 7-185 chasing 190

This game is still open. Connolly tries to flay Holder through the off side but can only get a thin nick through to Hope.

Oh dear. Abbott skies one towards the square leg boundary but the 18-year-old substitute fielder Jewel Andrew drops it! That was the chance. Five needed from the last two overs.

Wicket! Australia 6-180 chasing 190

Owen reaches a thoroughly impressive half century from a mere 26 balls, crashing Joseph down the ground. His family in the stands are delighted.

But he tries to repeat the shot next ball and is taken at long on, leaving West Indies with a small glimmer of hope.

Connolly faces up to Joseph and is beaten first ball, but the last ball of the over is short and the left-hander swivels to pull neatly behind square leg. Ten to win from three overs.

Australia 5-169 chasing 190

Cooper Connolly gets away with a couple of cuts through the off side after Roston Chase comes on to bowl his off spinners, then he finishes the over with a steepling straight hit for six.

That ball briefly hovers on the roof of the stand before dropping back to earth.

Australia need 21 runs from four overs.

Wicket! Australia 5-158 chasing 190

Green drives back past the bowler and the ball hits the stumps. Motie reckons he got a fingernail on the ball and if so Owen is short of his ground, backing up.

The third umpire takes an eternity to decide on whether Motie’s hand actually touched the ball, and his call for ultra edge to see if there’s any kind of contact results in a not out verdict.

Green then breaks up a sequence of dot balls by creaming a six over long on and then finds a boundary that takes him to 51 from just 25 balls. He’s been very sharp.

Just as I say that, Green doesn’t get all of his next big hit attempt and is caught at long on. Australia need 32 from 30 balls.

Australia 4-148 chasing 190

Green has been giving Owen plenty of the strike, but when Holder comes around the wicket, he hammers a boundary straight and then a six over straight midwicket.

When Holder drops short to Owen, the ball climbs over both batter and wicketkeeper for four byes.

Australia have won the battle of who can hit the most sixes pretty comfortably, and now they need 42 from the last six overs

Australia 4-123 chasing 190

Another big six from Owen, this one swung over backward square leg on the slog sweep as Hosein gets a little too far to the leg side.

There’s an escape for Owen later in the over as he is nearly bowled by a ball that goes narrowly over the top of the stumps. Owen responds by launching another six, this time a towering pull shot over wide long on, then he repeats the dose, making it three in the over.

Mitch Owen goes big.Credit: AFP

Australia 4-103 chasing 190

Owen and Green are using their big strides between the wickets, and Owen races back for two to beat a run out attempt.

Motie, though, has been very parsimonious so far, conceding 10 from two overs.