AUS vs ENG, 1st ODI: Australia 291 for 4 (Warner 86, Smith 80*, Head 69, Willey 2-51) beat England 287 for 9 (Malan 134, Willey 34*, Zampa 3-55, Cummins 3-62) by six wickets

Australia’s top-order ravaged an unpractised England assault to observe Pat Cummins’ first coordinate as ODI captain with an agreeable six-wicket triumph in the series opener in Adelaide.

David Warner, Travis Head, and Steven Smith all scored half-centuries as Australia chased 288 with 19 balls remaining, following Dawid Malan’s impressive 134-run stand. Australia’s chase for a 147-run opening stand from Warner and Head, who made an impressive return to the role vacated by retired Aaron Finch, was never in danger on the flat Adelaide Oval pitch under lights. 

On the ground where they posted Australia’s ODI record opening stand of 284 against Pakistan in January 2017, Warner and Head took advantage of wide deliveries and the short square boundaries. Head increased his growing reputation against the new ball in front of his home fans. Head had started the match with an average of 50.07 from 15 ODI innings as an opener. In the 20th over, he holed out for 69 off 57 balls, missing out on a third ODI century. 

Smith, who was on the fringe for most of the T20 World Cup, showed that he can play 50-over cricket with perfectly timed strokes that put him at No. 3. Before Warner was caught on the boundary off David Willey, England’s most experienced bowler in his 61st ODI, he looked like he was on track for his 19th century. Warner had played 84 balls before his innings was over. 

Willey then picked up Marnus Labuschagne cheaply to give England hope again, but Smith shut the door as Australia won the first match of the three-match series. Smith had recently improved his technique by not shuffling across the crease. Olly Stone, a fast bowler, started well in his first ODI in four years. His first ten deliveries all produced dots marked by sharp pace around 145 km/hr. However, Warner and Head took control, and he was unable to break through. 

Luke Wood, a left-armer making his ODI debut, struggled to find the right line in the 26th over, when Smith strode him for three boundaries. Even though only captain Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Chris Jordan were in the XI that faced Pakistan in the final at the MCG, a new England team had to refocus just four days after winning the T20 World Cup. This may have resulted in a sluggish performance, but Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Chris Jordan were the only members of the XI. Before Malan’s second ODI century lifted England to what appeared to be a competitive total after being sent in, England had fallen to 66 for 4. 

After missing England’s T20 World Cup title-winning team due to a groin injury, he made a compelling case for a permanent spot in the 50-over team and gave his own spirits a timely boost. Malan reverted to T20 mode against Cummins with two brutal sixes on the leg side, and he countered leg spinner Adam Zampa with belligerent slog sweeps in the middle overs. Malan was especially aggressive. Buttler made 29 and delivered lusty blows that were reminiscent of his heroics against India a week earlier at the same venue, but Malan received little support from Willey, who scored the next highest score with an unbeaten 34.

Cummins made a strong start to his ODI captaincy by taking wickets of Salt and James Vince in a probing new ball spell in front of a small crowd at the Adelaide Oval. After being controversially dropped against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup, he worked exceptionally well with Mitchell Starc, who bowled sharply to get through opener Jason Roy with a cracker of a delivery in his return with the new ball.

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Even though their opponents could have been excused for going through the motions, Australia’s fielding was vigorous, highlighted by several excellent efforts from Ashton Agar, to begin Cummins’ ODI captaincy on a strong note.