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The Australian
8 hours ago
- The Australian
Cricket: Mitch Owen reveals simple plan after brilliant debut
The elevation in arenas was significant for Mitch Owen, but the idea to just 'swing hard' remained his guiding principle after a stunning international debut in which he joined the most esteemed company. Only fellow Tasmanian Ricky Ponting and David Warner had made a half-century on T20 debut for Australia before Owen, shuffled down the order having made his name as an opener, blasted six sixes in an unforgettable 27-ball 50 under the bright lights in Jamaica. With his parents and girlfriend in the stands at Sabina Park, Owen, who has been 'on the go' since putting his name in the headlines with a century in the Big Bash final, took a wicket with the ball, then made his mark immediately with a fourth-ball six, his first scoring shot, as a signal of intent with the bat. That was the plan too, always is for Owen, who was modest post-match about his brilliant first-up performance. 'I'm firstly happy we got the win and it was nice to contribute,' he said. Mitchell Owen blasts one of six sixes at Sabina Park. Picture: Randy Brooks / AFP 'But yeah, it's great to join those class players. 'For me, I've been trying to play positive over the last six to eight months and today wasn't any different, going out there, trying to put the pressure back on the bowlers and I was lucky enough I got a few away early and was able to work into my innings.' Owen, noting the extra fielders out in the deep the only real difference between coming in as an opener and in the middle order, said his batting plans hardly changed. 'I still went out there and tried to hit six first then work my way down,' he said. 'The difference is five fielders out, but I tried to put that to the back of my mind and just swing hard.' Owen and Cameron Green put on 80 runs. Picture: Randy Brooks / AFP Owen put on 80 runs off just 40 balls with Cameron Green, who also made a half-century, forming what could be an imposing long-term partnership between two players still in the infancy of their careers 'It was great to bat with Greeny, it was the first time I've experienced that,' he said 'He was great, kept me nice and calm and to my process. Hopefully, we can do it a lot more.' Owen's stunning turn in the Big Bash, scoring two hundreds including his whirlwind 108 off just 42 balls in the final in Hobart, resulted in contracts around the international T20 circuit. He started in South Africa in January, then got gigs in the Pakistan Super League and hit the big-time playing with a call-up to the Indian Premier League, albeit getting just a single game. Most recently, Owen has been blasting bowlers in Major League Cricket in the US where he was named player of the tournament after making 313 runs and taking 14 wickets in 12 games. Owen celebrates his half-century. Picture: Randy Brooks / AFP His efforts landed him an Australian call-up ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, with a spot up the top, or in the middle as a slugging partner for Hurricanes teammate Tim David, all now live options. 'Any time you get a young kid who comes in and performs like that in his first game for Australia, it's always exciting,' Australian captain Mitch Marsh said after Owen's Sabina Park heroics. 'We're pumped for him. 'We want him to come in here and be as relaxed as possible. We understand he's going to be nervous playing for Australia but try and create a relaxed environment where he can hopefully keep doing that for us.'
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- News.com.au
Gabba curator and horse owner Dom Pelusi will be tickled pink if Australia smashes the Poms and he can jag a winner in the city this year
Gabba curator Dom Pelusi will be tickled pink if he can achieve two major goals this year – helping Australia smash the Poms in the second Ashes Test and cheering home his first city winner as a thoroughbred horse owner and stablehand for Brisbane trainer Jason Edwards. Cricket and horse racing are deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of our country and 33-year-old Pelusi happens to have a 'driving passion' for both sports. He will help prepare the wicket for the pink ball day-night Test between Australia and England at the Gabba from December 4-8. And when time permits during a gruelling summer schedule, he will also be readying gallopers for Deagon trainer Edwards while keeping a sharp eye on horses running under the banner of his syndicate Broke Lads. Asked what skills and lessons he could transfer as a cricket groundsman to horse racing, Pelusi said: 'I guess it's just trusting the plan. 'There are times when even wicket preparations might not go your way and it's the same with horse racing. 'You can turn up to the races and think you're going to have a good day and a win but it doesn't always go to plan. 'You go back to the drawing board and just trust the process. You do it for a reason and you have to remember that at all times.' • Brisbane trainers hatch plans for ex-Godolphin gallopers Pelusi grew up in Tenterfield, about 20km south of the Queensland border, in country NSW and wasn't really into horse racing back then, despite his grandfather Ian Halliday being a trainer during the 1990s. He moved to Brisbane eight years ago and developed the bug, establishing Broke Lads with a group of mates shortly after the Covid pandemic struck. Edwards trains three horses for the syndicate – filly Resolute Lady, gelding Bodysnatcher and an unnamed Spirit Of Boom colt. Resolute Lady (one win from six races) finished second in a 1200m race for fillies and mares at Ipswich last Thursday while Bodysnatcher will likely make his debut at Doomben on Saturday. • Queensland carnival wagering hopes 'washed away' by Derby Day wet Taylor Marshall rode Resolute Lady at Ipswich in close to the same colours as Pelusi's granddad – tangerine with black seams and a black-and-orange quartered cap. 'My grandfather gifted me his silks so I thought it'd be something special if I could register and race in his colours,' Pelusi said. 'Resolute Lady was the horse we bought, albeit I couldn't register his exact silks so I put a bit of a twist on it. 'I didn't have much of an interest in horses when I was living in Tenterfield but it was something that was always in my blood. 'Once I got on the tools with Jason, I never looked back. He took me under his wing and I can't wait to keep learning from him.' • Ramornie-winning jockey plans to retire this year Pelusi admitted juggling his dual roles could be difficult, especially during summer when cricket dominated the Australian sporting landscape, but he wouldn't have it any other way. 'In winter I work with Jase in the mornings and then leave at 6am to go to work (as a Gabba curator),' he said. 'Summer is crazy. They're very long days but it's self-inflicted because I've got a driving passion for both industries. It's well worth it.' So would he prefer to see the Aussies beat up the Poms at the Gabba or watch one of his horses win a big race? 'I have done one Ashes Test so it's a bit selfish but I really want to cheer home a winner in the city,' he said. 'But in saying that, it's always great to see Australia win at the Gabba. 'We do it (grounds keeping) for the crowd to come in and cheer the boys home. But they're both amazing feelings so it's very hard to split.'
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- News.com.au
Cricket world blown away by debutant Mitch Owen as he leads Australia to victory over the West Indies
Mitch Owen has sent the cricket world into raptures after scoring a sizzling half-century on debut, lifting Australia to a win over the West Indies on Monday. Owen – who emerged as a white-ball star with a century in the Big Bash final opening the batting for the Hobart Hurricanes last summer – was given a middle-order role for Australia's first T20 against the Windies in Jamaica, and he took the opportunity with both hands. Chasing a 190-run target for victory, Australia were in a spot of bother at 4-78 in the ninth over before Owen came to the crease and took the match by the scruff of the neck. His blistering 26-ball half century made waves, as he produced several big strokes to turn the match on its head. The 23-year-old Tasmanian powerhouse swatted his first ball down the ground for a massive six off retiring veteran Andre Russell. And from there, he added five more maximums as he stormed to 50, reaching his half century with another six before being dismissed the very next ball. His bold batting effort, set the tailenders up for success as they easily chased down the West Indies' 8-189 with seven balls to spare. Owen's incredible debut, where he also took a wicket with the ball, saw him awarded man of the match honours. 'I'm firstly happy we got the win, it was nice to contribute,' Owen said during the post-match presentation. 'I was lucky enough to got a few away early and was able to settle into my innings.' Owen's half century also saw him join the game's elites. The Tasmanian joins just Ricky Ponting and David Warner as the only Aussie men to make 50 in their T20 international debuts. And his performance sent the cricket world into a spin as Aussie fans suddenly felt Australia's future is looking bright. 'Mitch Owen is the future, what a debut, what a player,' one fan wrote on X following his barnstorming debut. 'Future star. Wow,' another added. While a third wrote: 'Mitch Owen absolutely outstanding on debut for Australia. Doesn't look out of place at all.' Others added, 'he makes it look so easy' and 'Mitchell Owen, remember the name'. Jake Fraser-McGurk fails to impress Fraser-McGurk didn't deserve a national call-up, give his horror recent form, and there was no turnaround at Sabina Park, casting a cloud over the future of the one-time batting dynamo. The 23-year-old had scored just 45 runs in his past five T20 innings, playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League cricket tournament, after a shocking stint in the IPL on a seven-figure contract. By virtue of his location, being next door to the West Indies, Fraser-McGurk was called in as an injury replacement and inserted as opener after first-choice Matt Short suffered a side strain. But he never looked like making an impact. It took six balls for him to get off the mark, with a wafty swipe to the leg side, and after three plays and misses, before miscuing a drive to be caught at mid-off for two. While Short has been ruled out of the series, it would be unpalatable for every other Australian white-ball hopeful if Fraser-McGurk was given another chance. In his 15 games for Australia across T20s and ODIs, he's made just 213 runs, with just one half-century.
