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Australia's star batting troika of David Warner, Steve Smith and Travis Head dazzled with half centurion-knock apiece to earn a facile six-wicket victory over the World champion England in the first ODI in Adelaide on Thursday (November 17).
Warner took up the mantle with 86 off 84, which was brilliantly complemented by Smith's unbeaten 80 off 78 and Head's 69 off 57 as Australia overhauled England's 288-run target with 19 balls to spare despite Dawid Malan's towering century for the losing cause.
England's reign as double white-ball champions began with a hapless defeat.
Dawid Malan fired a tremendous 134 from 128 deliveries to help a much-changed England post 287-9 from their 50 overs, having slumped to 66-4 after being put into bat by the hosts.
Australia made a blistering start to their reply, with top-scorer David Warner (86) and Travis Head (69) putting on a 147-run opening-wicket partnership inside the first 20 overs of their innings.
David Willey (2-51) was the pick of the English bowlers and removed Warner and Marnus Labuschagne in successive overs, although an unbeaten 80 from Steve Smith saw Australia comfortably chase down their victory target of 288 with 19 balls to spare.
England made eight changes from the side that won the T20 World Cup final, including an ODI debut for Lancashire's Luke Wood, with Phil Salt, captain Jos Buttler and Chris Jordan the only players to retain their spots from Sunday's five-wicket win over Pakistan.
Australia started strongly after electing to bowl first having won the toss, with Salt edging a brilliant Cummins (3/62) delivery to second slip before Mitchel Starc bowled Jason Roy (6) the following over.
Cummins also removed Jason Vince cheaply and Sam Billings was bowled by Marcus Stoinis to leave England struggling on 66-4, before Malan - who missed the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup through injury - led the visitors' fightback.
Malan put on a 52-run fifth-wicket stand with Jos Buttler (29), who was caught at long-off from Adam Zampa's bowling, while Liam Dawson made 11 before being run out by Ashton Agar and Chris Jordan (14) was trapped LBW by Zampa.
The innings was held together by Malan, who brought up a brilliant second ODI century after 107 balls and added 60 for the eighth wicket with Willey (34 not out) to help England towards a competitive total.
Malan posted 12 fours and four sixes in his impressive knock before holing out to Agar in the deep for Zampa's third wicket, with Wood also contributing 10 late on as England added 72 in the last 10 overs.
An Olly Stone maiden in his opening over only briefly halted an aggressive reply from Australia, who reached 50 inside the opening eight overs as Warner and Head peppered early boundaries.
Both players passed their half-centuries without issue and England's bowling rotation failed to find a breakthrough until the 20th over when Head (69) picked out Salt on the boundary off the bowling of Jordan.
Warner guided Australia past 200 before he hooked to Billings in the deep for the first of two Willey wickets in successive overs, as he also removed Marnus Labuschagne thanks to a superb one-handed catch from Buttler behind the stumps.
England slowed the run rate and Alex Carey (21) was removed by Liam Dawson, although Cameron Green (20 not out) and Smith put on an unbeaten 47-run stand for the fifth wicket to see Australia home.
he visitors turned to Malan to try and produce a late wicket, but Smith signed off his unbeaten 80 with a lofty maximum over mid-wicket to complete Australia's victory with 19 balls to spare.
Australia and England will next face each other on Saturday for the second ODI before the final match in Melbourne on Tuesday.
