MITCHELL JOHNSON: What I learned about Mahli Beardman from my chat with the young, raw pace bowler

The message came through a mutual friend. Mahli Beardman wanted to sit down and have a chat.

That told me plenty before we’d even met. Here’s a young bloke who wants to bowl fast and wants to learn the trade, and he went out of his way to pick the brain of an ex-quick. That’s someone trying to learn at every chance he gets.

I won’t go into detail, but the things we spoke about and the questions Beardman asked were the right ones.

He’s got a great system around him at the WACA, so I wasn’t there to talk bowling technique. We talked about the game, the things that got me up when I was down, the back injuries and the niggles, fast bowling strength and fitness, and everything that comes with playing cricket for Australia.

I hope more young players do the same with the former players who inspired them, or anyone they think they could learn something from. That’s what the game does. You’re always learning. You listen, you take some things in, and you throw some things out.

Mahli has the potential. How he goes about his career is up to him, but there’s no harm in gathering as much information as he can. In the end, it comes down to what he does at training and the extra sessions but also him out in the middle, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can achieve.

With the first one-day international against England at Optus Stadium on Friday week, people might ask where he should bowl. Bowl him where he’s best for the balance of the team.

If he can swing it early with pace, you have him open the bowling. Bowlers have strengths; the captain’s job is to bowl him where he thinks he will get him and the team wickets.

That’s why I still think one-day cricket matters so much. You learn the craft of bowling in a short time. Conditions change, the ball changes, the powerplays and fields change, and you have to adapt.

Through the middle overs, it makes you think creatively where to bowl to a batter who’s rotating the strike, how to get him hitting over the field, when to use a change of pace, the yorker or a different length. All while keeping the team plans in your head and watching where the batter is trying to hit you. The tactics I learned in ODIs 100 per cent shaped my Test skills.

Bowlers generally don’t get a big run at it. If I’m a young quick, be ready at any time.

When your chance comes, remember you were picked for a reason. You don’t need to try harder or do something you don’t normally do. The intensity lifts, and there’ll be moments of worry when you bowl your best ball, and it goes for six.

Keep bowling your best ball and back yourself. Playing for Australia should be exciting. Go and do what you do best.

Beardman, Ollie Peake, Jack Edwards, Liam Scott, Cooper Connolly - they all have a great opportunity. They aren’t the names we’re used to seeing, but the one-day side has been changing gradually. There’ll be losses along the way. Once these fresh players start winning the close ones, though, you’ll see a shift in confidence and their real ability will come through.

With Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood rested for the white-ball games ahead of the New Zealand Test series, it’s fair to talk about workloads. As I’ve said before, a Test player missing an ODI or two is pretty normal. Missing a whole series is rarer, but it’s how this team has been transitioning.

I think it’s healthy that the young guys are playing, as long as there’s some experience around to guide them and show them how it’s done at this level. With Mitch Marsh as captain, they’ve got that.

Cummins has copped criticism for how much one-day cricket he’s chosen to miss. It almost feels like the one-day side is moving on without him. Maybe that’s the plan.

If it is, the young guys have been handed the baton. Be ready, bowl your best ball, and make it your side.