(Cricket news) Australia's top order helped them beat England in the opening ODI in Adelaide as the hosts put the T20 World Cup disappointment behind them to take an early lead in the series. In the first inning, Malan hit a majestic ton to help England post a strong total of 287/9. But David Warner, Travis Head and Steve Smith hit brilliant fifties to help the hosts chase down the big total with ease. Warner got into his zone as he hit David Willey for a couple of boundaries in the sixth over to help get the run rate over six runs per over. By the end of the powerplay, Australia had 65 for no wicket on the board. Both the batters piled on more misery for the bowling side despite the field getting spread to score 92/0 in just 13 overs. 

Warner brought up a 44-ball fifty while Head reached his half century off 46 balls. England finally managed to take a wicket in the 20th over when Head got caught by Jordan at the deep as the 147-run opening stand came to an end. But that hardly made a difference as Smith took charge and quickly took his strike rate past 100 and then fetched three boundaries off a Luke Wood over to rattle the debutant. England had sniffed an opportunity to stage a late comeback after Willey removed Warner and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession but Smith brought up his half-century in47 deliveries before he finished the match by smashing a four and a six to finish with 19 balls to spare.

In the first innings, a terrific century from Dawid Malan dragged England out from a tough situation with the bat. Their usual tactics to go hard from the word go didn't pay off as Phil Salt got out to Pat Cummins. Jason Roy didn't make a great return to the England XI as Mitchell Starc got him out to a peach of a delivery. James Vince was the next to depart, leaving Malan with plenty to do. Sam Billings also squandered a glorious chance to cement a spot in the playing XI as Marcus Stoinis got him out LBW. Captain Jos Buttler consolidated the innings for a brief period, ticking the scorecard over but it was Malan who looked fluent at the other end. 

Just when it looked like a partnership was brewing, Australia got Buttler out as he failed in his attempt to clear the man at long on.It was all on Malan to get a good score as he rallied with the lower order to slowly turn the tables around. The 35-year-old took on Cummins as he tried to conjure up a partnership with Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson's runout. Malan started really expressing himself when he raced into the nineties. Eventually, he brought up his second ODI ton, after his hundred he really started to accelerate his strike rate but in doing so he perished for a 128-ball 134. Willey played a useful innings of 34 off 40 deliveries to guide England to a strong total.

Brief scores: England 287/9 in 50 overs (Dawid Malan 134, David Willey 34*; Adam Zampa 3/55, Pat Cummins 3/62) lost to Australia 291/4 in 46.5 overs (David Warner 86, Steve Smith 80*; David Willey 2/51) by six wickets

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