A David Warner hundred led Australia to a comfortable tri-series victory over an England side who were saved from embarrassment by Eoin Morgan.
Reduced to 0-2 in three balls, England were taken to 234 by Morgan’s century.
In the first one-day international since he replaced Alastair Cook as captain, Morgan made 121 while the rest of his team managed 93 between them.
Warner then dominated the chase, making 127 as Australia won by three wickets with 10.1 overs to spare.
The winning margin gave the home side a bonus point, their pursuit of which resulted in late wickets that left the scores looking closer than the contest was.
The loss was England’s 18th in 25 ODIs against Test-playing sides and extended their poor record in Australia to 11 defeats in 13 matches.
More importantly, it was another reverse with only three matches to go before their World Cup campaign begins against the same opponents in Melbourne on 14 February.
Downed under |
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From the end of the 10th over, Eoin Morgan hit all three of England’s sixes and all but one of their 12 fours. |
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England managed only 29 runs between the 20th and 30th overs. |
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David Warner hit more fours (18) than the entire England team combined (16). |
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Stuart Broad was England’s most expensive bowler, conceding 49 runs in 6.5 overs at an economy of 7.17. |
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With 4-40, Chris Woakes has taken 16 wickets in his last six ODIs. |
The one major plus is the brilliant innings of Morgan, 28, who averaged only 25.45 in his last 23 games before taking over full-time from Cook, but has now pushed his mean to 78.28 in nine as skipper.
However, he received little support, with the top order failing to cope with an inspired early burst from Mitchell Starc and many others falling to loose strokes.
And, later, a bowling attack without the omitted off-spin of James Tredwell on a slow Sydney pitch failed to match either the threat or discipline of the home side.
It could have been much worse for England, who saw Ian Bell and James Taylor pinned leg before by beautiful inswingers from left-armer Starc in the first over.
After Joe Root poked Pat Cummins to first slip, Moeen Ali lofted James Faulkner to deep cover and Ravi Bopara cut a Xavier Doherty long hop to point, Morgan had to rebuild from 69-5.
He did so in a patient stand of 67 with Jos Buttler, only opening his shoulders with a six over long off to go to 50.
Finding the off-side fence with more regularity, Morgan moved towards three figures with another maximum over long-on and brought up the slowest of his seven ODI hundreds in 127 balls.
Morgan took Starc for a further six, but was held on the leg side later in the same over and, next ball, Steven Finn was bowled to become the last man to fall and leave Starc with figures of 4-42.
Needing early inroads, England were let down by the inaccuracy of Finn in particular, with Warner showing his intent through handsome cover drives.
Though pace bowler Chris Woakes got Aaron Finch to play on and had Shane Watson caught on the leg-side fence, it was Warner who looked the prize scalp, with a miscue off Stuart Broad evading Morgan at mid-off and a strong Moeen shout for lbw turned down.
A partnership of 78 with Steve Smith sapped England’s hopes as Warner added pulls and sweeps to his array of drives, bringing up his third one-day century in 97 balls.
He fell in the late charge to win inside 40 overs – a fourth wicket for the persevering Woakes – but, by then, the match was won.
Eoin Morgan made his first ODI hundred since January 2014
