Root takes lead role in win

for nine with 34 balls to spare, but his occasional off-breaks proved just as useful to the cause as he dismissed home captain Steve Smith in figures of two for 31.

Chris Woakes can also be delighted with his evening’s work, following a tidy bowling stint with two run outs and 39no at the close.

Defeat was tough on Mitchell Starc, who steamed in to take four wickets in England’s 274 for six, and Aaron Finch, who made it back-to-back centuries with a controlled 106, but neither could quibble with the eventual result.

Smith chose to bat first and “run them off their feet” on a hot Queensland afternoon but, aside from Finch’s 114-ball hundred, Australia singularly under-delivered.

But while there was plenty to admire in his clarity and control - he offered one half-chance on 26 and was dropped on 60 there was never any sense of him dominating proceedings.

Some support might have helped, David Warner (35) nicking Moeen Ali and Smith (18) undone by a glorious gambit from Eoin Morgan.

For the 20th over he tossed the ball to Root, who had bowled a grand total of six balls in his last nine ODIs. Root duly pinned Smith lbw, the high point of a spell which also accounted for Travis Head.

Finch and Mitchell Marsh put on 85 in 94 balls but once Liam Plunkett made Finch his 100th ODI wicket Australia buckled.

They lost six wickets for 62 in the last 11 overs, retreating instead accelerating.

Australia struck an important psychological blow with their fourth delivery in response, Jason Roy adding just two to his record-breaking 180 from Melbourne before clipping Starc to mid-wicket.

Yet Jonny Bairstow and Alex