Malan hundred in vain as clinical Australia record comprehensive win over England in 1st ODI

Australia comprehensively beat arch-rivals England by six  wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Adelaide Oval. Although the series is not part of the ODI Super League, the teams are taking it quite seriously as they have to select their best fifteen players for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India in less than 12 months' time.

England, fresh from the T20 World Cup win, had only three players - Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Chris Jordan -  from the XI that played in the final on Sunday. Dawid Malan, who missed the semi-final and the final due to injury, starred with the bat for England. The visitors were in a spot of bother at 66 for four and later 118 for five. 

But Malan occupied one end and notched up his hundred off 107 balls before cutting loose. Before getting out as the eighth batter, the southpaw scored a phenomenal 134 off 128 balls with the help of 12 fours and four maximums. David Willey (34 off 40) gave him good support at the lower order. England finished with 287 for nine after 50 overs.

Travis Head got his opportunity to open with David Warner as Aaron Finch is now retired and made the best use of it. Head added 147 with Warner in just 19.4 overs and the stand virtually took the game away from England. Head departed for 69 off just 57 balls. 

Warner (86 off 84) carried on despite losing his partner before Willey dismissed him in the 29th over thanks to a sensational catch from Sam Billings in the deep. Willey removed Marnus Labuschagne in his next over but it was all too little too late.

Steven Smith finished the game with a brilliant unbeaten 78-ball-80. Each of Australia's top three registered a fifty-plus score and had strike-rates of more than 100.

Despite being on the losing side, Dawid Malan was named the player of the match for his outstanding hundred.