Wake-up call lifts England to beat Aussies

England captain Eoin Morgan claimed defeat by Scotland on Sunday was the wake-up call his players needed to improve and see off Australia by three wickets in yesterday’s one-day international at the Oval yesterday.

He said: “I’m very pleased, particularly with the bowling, I thought the bowlers did an amazing job today. They really hit their straps well.

“It’s great to see (us) as a unit working well as well.

“Moeen always gives you an option, he’s a bit like Ben Stokes, you can throw him into any situation and he seems to enjoy it. He’s had a great day today.

“In Scotland I think we were better for playing that game. It certainly kicked us into touch a little bit and made us hone our skills coming into this game. It’s

“The loss to the Scots certainly kicked us into touch a little bit”

never nice losing but we did take a lesson from it.”

However, England made hard work of yesterday’s victory. Moeen Ali’s threewicket burst reduced the tourists to 214 all out before Morgan and Joe Root’s 115-run partnership put the hosts on course for victory.

Morgan hit 69, with Root departing for 50, as England rode out a late wobble to start the five-match series in triumph.

Morgan, Root, Jos Buttler and Ali all perished to weak shots to leave bowlers David Willey and Liam Plunkett to finish the job.

Australia’s first international action since March’s ball-tampering scandal that saw Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft suspended ended in a defeat that would have been more comprehensive, save for England’s errant batting.

Australia struggled for fluency, feeling the injury absence of bowling trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood just as much as their three suspended batsmen.