The match was his 12th professional 50-over game, to go with 14 Twenty20s. His first-class debut is still pending. Even so, it would not be a shock to see him handed a baggy green in the coming months or travel to England for the Ashes next year.
Mahli Beardman took six wickets for 24 runs from 7.4 overs on his one-day international debut as England were bowled out for 131 in Perth and lost by seven wickets.
England slumped to 68 for eight and were all out in 33.4 overs. Beardman moved the ball in and out, not a lot but enough, and found Harry Brook's outside edge for his first ODI wicket at the start of his second over.
Across those 7.4 overs he averaged 86.5 mph, his quickest match on record, with a fastest ball of 90.6 mph.
A low-key one-day win was never going to atone for the galling start to Australia's failed Ashes campaign 12 months ago. The hosts were also missing their three leading quicks and fighting sandpaper-related trouble off the field.
The man who loves surfing swept England aside, set up a crushing victory and treated the day as another day on the beach. Australia needed something to be excited about.
With the nonchalance of youth, Beardman was the antidote in a moment of crisis. He beamed under a wispy moustache as he led the hosts off at the change of innings, then bounced into the press conference.
Asked about his relationship with Lillee, Beardman said it happened all so fast. At 14 or 15, he said, he was bowling to a bin down the side of a house when a family friend saw him and thought there was a little air speed there.
"He sort of said no at the start but through my persistence eventually gave in,"Beardman said.
After a carefully managed return, those questions were answered in Perth, where he has played all of his domestic cricket to date.