Lance Morris and Mahli Beardman: Australia's Next Fast-Bowling Generation, Ashton Turner Urges Patience

Australia will get a glimpse into life after the Big Three during the upcoming white-ball series against England, with the nation's next generation of fast bowlers set to get a chance to impress in front of home fans. It starts on Saturday, November 7, when speedsters Lance Morris and Mahli Beardman take centre stage at the WACA Ground to spearhead Western Australia's attack in a 50-over tour match against England. Both quicks are viewed as part of the national team's future, but both have battled their fair share of injuries across their careers so far. Morris will play his first game in 20 months against England on Saturday after overcoming a side strain that prolonged his comeback from spinal surgery. The 28-year-old made his first-class debut in October 2026, but persistent back injuries have meant he has only played 25 Sheffield Shield matches since. Nicknamed “The Wild Thing” as a raw teenager after turning heads with his express pace in Perth grade cricket, the Busselton-born right-armer is among the quickest bowlers in the country when fully fit. But as Morris, who played the most recent of his three ODIs two years ago, returns from another injury setback, Western Australia captain Ashton Turner has called for patience with his star bowler. “It's exciting for all Australian cricket fans,” Turner said of Morris' first game back. “I think it has been well documented that we are always looking to unearth the next scary fast bowler, and no doubt Lance falls into that category. With that in mind, I would probably urge some patience. We have seen historically it takes fast bowlers some time to build back into their skill as are the physical demands of bowling really fast. There are not really many people in the world who can do it, and Lance is one of the few, and I would probably throw Mahli into that basket as well.” Turner added: “We need to be patient with these exceptionally talented fast bowlers. It will take some time but they are both, in their own right, really exciting propositions. We are not going to see the finished product of Lance Morris against England on Saturday. No doubt his best might be 12 or 24 months away, but every game that he gets an opportunity to play, he will continue to benefit from that.” Turner said Morris and Beardman had both been hitting their straps during preseason in a couple of intra-squad matches, with the latter also taking a four-wicket haul for Australia A in India last month. The 21-year-old Beardman, while not to the extent of Morris, has faced his own injury challenges as his body adjusts to the workloads of being a fast bowler at the top level. The young gun, also from the Margaret River region in WA's southwest, already has an international cap under his belt, taking 2-33 on T20 debut for Australia against Pakistan in Lahore in January before being ruled out of the rest of the season due to a stress reaction in his back. Beardman is now poised to earn his ODI cap this month after being named in both of Australia's 50-over and T20 squads to face England. Turner said Beardman was learning all formats of the game in fast-forward mode at the moment. “I think Mahli has grabbed every opportunity that he's had so far in his young professional career with both hands,” he said. “I had to catch myself the other day reflecting on his performances in games and remind myself he has only played a handful of professional games of cricket, and he is so young in his development and his opportunity for growth is immense. He is trying to figure out a way to be effective with a red ball, he is trying to understand T20 cricket, 50-over cricket having not played much yet. As is the case with many young fast bowlers, he has spent more time in the physio room unavailable for selection than available. In his own right he has an amazing skillset that is really unique. Not many guys in Australia at the moment have some of the attributes that he has. You combine that with a bit more experience and he has all the attributes you would want for an international bowler.” The schedule for the Australia v England ODI and T20I series is as follows: the 50-over tour match will be played on November 7 at the WACA Ground from 2:30pm AEDT as a day-night game. The first ODI will be played on November 13 at Perth Stadium, the second on November 15 at Adelaide Oval, and the third on November 18 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. All ODIs will start at 2:30pm AEDT and will be day-night matches. The first T20I will be played on November 21 at the MCG from 7:15pm AEDT. The second T20I will be played on November 24 at Gold Coast Stadium, the third on November 27 at The Gabba, the fourth on November 29 at the SCG, and the fifth on December 2 at Manuka Oval. All T20Is will start at 7:15pm AEDT. Australia's ODI squad includes Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott and Adam Zampa. England's ODI squad includes Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Josh Tongue. Australia's T20I squad includes Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Owen, Lachlan Shaw and Adam Zampa. England's T20I squad includes Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Thomas Rew, Phil Salt and Luke Wood. The series is significant for Australia as the team management looks to build depth in fast bowling. With experienced campaigners managing workloads and injury risks, the development of Morris and Beardman becomes crucial. The WACA Ground conditions are expected to offer pace and bounce, which should suit both bowlers, but the key will be control and discipline. Raw speed alone is not enough at the international level; sustained success requires line, length, game awareness and the ability to handle pressure across formats. Morris remains one of the fastest bowlers in the country when fully fit, but his body has repeatedly tested his patience. The spinal surgery and side strain have made his return a gradual process. For him, the tour match is the first step in a longer journey. For Beardman, the opportunity is about learning and adapting. He has already shown glimpses of his ability, including his T20 debut against Pakistan, but his body is still adjusting to the demands of professional cricket. Turner's call for patience is therefore both a short-term warning and a long-term strategy. Australia need these bowlers fit and firing for years to come, not just for one series. The selectors will be watching closely to see how Morris and Beardman handle the step up, how their bodies respond to match workloads and how quickly they adapt to the demands of international cricket. The series against England provides the perfect platform for that assessment. For fans, the prospect of seeing two express bowlers in action is exciting. But the message from the Western Australia captain is clear: do not judge them on one game. Morris and Beardman are works in progress, and their best may still be some time away. With patience, careful management and the right support, Australia could be looking at the next generation of fast bowlers who can carry the attack into a new era.