Hazlewood inspires Aussie win in first ODI

An inspired spell from Josh Hazlewood ensured Sam Billings' brilliant maiden century was in vain, helping Australia notch a thrilling ODI victory over reigning world champions England in the series opener in Manchester.

The visitors, without key batter Steve Smith who suffered a head knock on match eve, slumped to 5-123 before Glenn Maxwell (77 off 59 balls) and Mitch Marsh (73 off 100) lifted them with a record 126-run partnership.

In pursuit of Australia's 9-294, Sam Billings (118 off 110) was outstanding as he took the game down to the final over despite wickets tumbling around him, threatening to lead the hosts to a record Old Trafford run chase.

But Hazlewood (3-26 from 10 overs) gave one of his finest performances in Australian gold, delivering a terrific new-ball spell and taking two excellent catches in the 19-run victory, while Adam Zampa (4-44) returned his best ODI figures after removing three of England's top five batters.

While Smith may return for Sunday's second ODI having passed a concussion test, the Aussies' win was soured slightly after Mitchell Starc bravely finished the match requiring pain-killers to manage noticeable pain in what appeared to be his left groin.

It was just Australia's third victory in their last 14 one-day games against England and puts them in the box seat to record their first bilateral ODI series win over their rivals since 2015. The second and third games will be played at the same venue.

Back for his first ODI since his poor World Cup last year, Maxwell produced the kind of innings selectors had desperately wanted from him during that campaign.

Marsh's assured effort meanwhile continues his strong return to Australian colours after his player-of-the-match effort in Wednesday's third T20. It was his highest ODI score for nearly four years.

The pair put on Australia's highest ever sixth-wicket partnership in ODIs against England.

A pitch Eoin Morgan had dubbed "tacky" after winning the toss and inserting Australia suddenly turned lively under lights as Hazlewood delivered a spirited burst with the new ball.

England's top order struggled to lay bat on the NSW quick as he took 2-5 from his first six overs (three of them maidens), removing Jason Roy with a terrific one-handed return catch before finding Joe Root's outside edge. He would have had a third early breakthrough had an lbw off Bairstow not been overturned.

While Morgan tried to ease the heat on the home team with a charging six over mid-off from Hazlewood, the England skipper rewarded an erratic start from Zampa by offering a catch to Maxwell at mid-wicket in the leg-spinner's first over.

And when Marnus Labuschagne took an excellent diving catch running in from the long-off boundary, dangerman Jos Buttler was gone for just one and England appeared dead and buried.

Yet their win-from-anywhere one-day team rarely gives in.

Some superb hitting from Jonny Bairstow (84 off 107 balls), who started slowly before exploding as he struck Pat Cummins for a remarkable short-arm six over mid-wicket, kept the flame alive before Hazlewood took a superb catch running in from the long-on boundary.

Billings then took over as he reverse-swept Zampa for multiple boundaries late on but struggled to keep the run-rate at a manageable level, leaving Mitch Marsh with 28 to defend in the final over as the right-hander holed out on the final ball of the game.

Opening the batting on an overcast afternoon, David Warner may have been relieved to see England's opening quicks elected not to start around the wicket having tormented the left-hander from that angle during the Ashes, though Archer had no trouble clipping his off stump from over the wicket in his second over.

Aaron Finch cover drove his first ball for four, but Mark Wood was equally successful with his first offering of the game (and first since last year's World Cup final) by nicking off the Australian captain for 16.

Smith's injury opened up the number three spot for Marcus Stoinis, who also looked adept in his first ODI since the World Cup. He had scored just 123 runs in his 11 previous ODI innings but had never batted higher than five during that stretch, and could only have reaffirmed Justin Langer's belief he remains best suited to a top-order spot.

The right-hander struck three boundaries off one Wood over but the speedster again found an outside edge to end Stoinis' innings on 43 after just 34 balls.

After Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey both squandered starts to Rashid, the script appeared eerily similar to the early stages of Australia's World Cup semi-final defeat to the world champions.

But Marsh and Maxwell, both under immense pressure given the match situation and their tenuous holds over their respective spots in the team, batted for 20 overs to put the game firmly back into the visitors' control.

Maxwell locked horns with Jofra Archer in a gripping, if short-lived, contest; he launched him for consecutive leg-side sixes off the first two balls of the 44th over, before chopping on going for the hat-trick.

Australia would surely have eclipsed 300 had Marsh not departed (trapped lbw on the crease by Mark Wood in a familiar manner to those who have observed his turbulent international career) three overs after Maxwell.

They nonetheless took 76 off the final 10 overs despite losing both set batters in the closing stages of the innings, with Mitchell Starc smashing a huge six off Chris Woakes on the final ball of the innings.

The win marked a strong start for Australia in their official qualification period for World Cup 2023. 

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

England XI: Jonathan Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joseph Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood

2020 Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England T20I squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. Reserves: Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. Reserves: Joe Denly, Saqib Mahmood

First T20: England won by two runs

Second T20: England won by six wickets with seven balls to spare

Third T20: Australia won by five wickets with three balls to spare

1st ODI: Australia won by 19 runs

September 13:2nd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

September 16:3rd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST