McDermott credits luck for maiden ODI century

He might've just registered his maiden ODI century, but Ben McDermott considers himself lucky to even be in the Australian side after the string of COVID cases and injuries to have hit the touring squad in Pakistan.

The number three came into the team for the first ODI on Tuesday after the likes of Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis were made unavailable, calmly making 55 before being run out.

He backed it up in game two, smashing four sixes on the way to a brutal 104 in Australia’s six-wicket loss.

Despite the knock, McDermott admits he doesn’t think he'd even be playing had the selectors had a full squad to pick from.

"I'm obviously probably not in the best team in Australia at the moment and probably wasn't starting off, but fortunately for me I got opportunities through COVID and the unfortunate Mitch Marsh injury," he said.

"It's really good to get an opportunity and even better when you probably weren't supposed to be in the playing 11 … I probably wasn't even in that team that was going to start.

"It's not probably our best team, there's a few guys resting after a pretty long summer and pretty long Test series."

Despite his humility post-match, McDermott was elated to secure his first international century, bringing up his triple-figures with a huge six down the ground before embracing Marnus Labuschagne with whom he spent much of his childhood in Queensland with.

McDermott's ton and Travis Head's 89 from just 70 deliveries helped Australia post a mammoth total of 348 – their highest ODI score in Pakistan – however it wasn't enough as centuries from Babar Azam and Imam ul-Haq saw the home side chase it down with relative ease.

Image Id: D2ED25E1209949869EBA3D6E4B9C65B0 Image Caption: Travis Head continued a strong run of form at the top of the Australian order with 89 from 70 balls // Getty

"It's very special to me to get that first one out of the way. I'm pretty new to the international ODI scene," McDermott said post-match.

"It's nice to score some runs out there today. It was nice for half the game and then obviously there were a couple of incredible innings.

"Credit where credit's due, Babar played an outstanding innings and so did Imam again, we felt like 350 was definitely defendable but they batted beautifully."

McDermott said the loss made his personal milestone harder to enjoy.

"It's very bittersweet, I thought that was enough, I thought we did enough with the bat," he said.

"I think that we started really well and Heady batted beautifully again tonight and got us off to a flyer.

"I probably didn't get off to the start that I would've liked but ended up catching up towards the back end of our powerplay and in the middle as well.

"Marnus (Labuschagne) came out straight away and played really well and (Marcus) Stoinis as well showed why he's one of the best finishers in the world … so very bittersweet to not get the win.”

The 27-year-old's innings had added significance given his father Craig, a former fast bowler with 71 Tests to his name, took his maiden ODI five-wicket haul at the same Lahore venue back in 1987.

"I did hear that at the innings break and it did feel a lot better," McDermott said of the symmetry between he and his father's milestone's.

Image Id: ACE66D8547E04A0DB2A765D7F6F0781F Image Caption: Craig McDermott in action for Australia in 1987 // Getty

"It would have been really nice to finish off with the win tonight but obviously it's great to get a 100 and one of those milestones that my father did in the past."

With still the deciding ODI to come on Sunday, McDermott has the chance to cap off a brilliant season with a series win for his country in a summer where he has scored runs for nearly every team he has played for, across all three formats.

Despite acknowledging there are players above him when fit, the Tasmanian believes his strong performances recently should keep him in the frame for selection with both a T20 and ODI World Cup coming up in the next 18 months.

"I'd love to be in the best team moving forward," he said.

"I've had a lot of opportunities in international cricket now. I think I've played nearly 30 games so it's really nice to start seeing some of the hard work that I've been putting in come off.

"I got a 50 in the T20 series against Sri Lanka, I started well in that series and then finished poorly and then just to start well on this ODI series is very pleasing."

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

First Test: Match drawn

March 12-16: Match drawn

March 21-25: Australia win by 115 runs

Pakistan ODI and T20 squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique*, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq*, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Saud Shakeel*, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir (*ODIs only)

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa

March 29: Australia win by 88 runs

March 31: Pakistan win by six wickets

April 2: Third ODI, Lahore

April 5: Only T20I, Lahore

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports