After ending the Test series on a draw, Australia and West Indies met in a three-match ODI series. That series was an example of a perfect thriller and Aussie excellence. Australia whitewashed West Indies in the ODI series. In the last match, Australia dominated the West Indies all the way. Aussie batter Jake Fraser-McGurk opened up about all the things.
The Aussie Dominance:
Before heading to the third ODI, Australia was leading the series by 2-0. Australia targeted the whitewashed. For the third ODI, both teams met at the Manuka Oval. After winning the toss, Australia opted to bowl first. While batting first, West Indies batters faced difficulties in batting in front of the Aussie bowlers. Opener Alick Athanaze scored 32 runs in 60 balls. Other than him, no other batter had a chance to play a long innings in front of the Aussie bowlers. They were all out only in 86 runs.
It was a pretty easy target to chase. Australia chased down the total only in 7 overs. Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk played a quick knock of 41 runs in 18 balls. The inning consisted of 5 boundaries and 3 over-boundaries. Josh Inglish remained unbeaten on 35 runs in 16 balls with 4 boundaries and 1 over-boundary. They won the match by 8 wickets.
Jake Fraser-McGurk’s View:
Australia’s rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk, delivering a stellar 41 runs off 18 balls in just his second ODI, expressed surprise at the rapid impact he’s making. Fraser-McGurk emphasized the significance of learning from each game, anticipating it to contribute to his future improvement. He said, “I don’t think it differs at all, my mindset’s just go out there, watch the ball as hard as I can, and react to it, and my reactions are slightly more aggressive than most. So if it looks like I’m going out there just trying to slog everything, it might look like that, but really, there’s some thought behind it and some risk and reward, and (I’m) trying to weigh up. I actually gave myself a few balls early on, enough to get some information off the wicket. And then I was like, ‘Alright, I can expand it now’. Those little learnings from one game to another is crucial and it’s going to be massive for my game going forward.”
Later he added, “It’s just really saying to yourself, ‘commit’ (and) just committing to it. Because if you’re sort of 60/40, you’re not really committing to it and the risks go more in favor than the reward. So that’s what I’ve been focusing on and working hard on and the coaches and my teammates backing me is crucial as well.”
Cricket Journey and Goals:
Sharing insights into his cricket journey, Fraser-McGurk highlighted a crucial conversation with South Australia coach Jason Gillespie. The 21-year-old expressed his aspiration to be an all-format player, a goal Gillespie supported. Delighted with his national team selection, Fraser-McGurk acknowledged overcoming struggles at the domestic level.
He said, “I said to Jason Gillespie: ‘I want to be a three-format player for Australia later in my career’. That’s my goal, I’m working towards that. That’s the reason why I moved to South Australia … I wanted to get a fresh start. But I didn’t think it was going to happen as quick as this and to get one format under my belt now is amazing. Twelve months is a long time in cricket and to be rewarded with some selection, it’s really pleasing to me and my family.”
Later he added, “Mum, Dad, and grandad came today, they’ve been doing a road trip around so to have them here and to be able to perform well for them as is really meaningful to me and I hope I gave them a nice smile.”
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
