England's World Cup campaign got off to a humbling start as they were thrashed by 111 runs at the hands of arch rivals Australia in Melbourne.
The co-hosts posted a mammoth 342-9 after being inserted at a packed MCG, with Aaron Finch making 135 after being dropped third ball by Chris Woakes.
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England were reduced to 66-4 and then 92-6 in reply, and only 98 from James Taylor saved Eoin Morgan's side from total humiliation.
The Nottinghamshire batsman was controversially denied the chance for a century when James Anderson was given run out on the same delivery that Taylor was initially adjudged lbw before overturning on review.
Woakes shelled Finch at square leg midway through Anderson's first over and the opener went on to punish England to the maximum as he and David Warner put on a well-paced 57 for the first-wicket stand.
Two wickets in two balls for Stuart Broad pegged the Aussies back as Warner was bowled for 22 and Shane Watson edged behind to Jos Buttler first ball, and Steve Smith soon followed to leave his side 70-3.
The 146-run partnership between Finch and stand-in captain George Bailey was perhaps the match-winning contribution as Australia set the perfect base for their destructive lower order to capitalise on.
Finch went to three figures before being run out by Morgan for 135 off 128 balls. Bailey, who has been tipped to make way for Michael Clarke in Australia's next game, made 55 before becoming Steven Finn's first victim.
Glenn Maxwell (66 from 40 balls) led the late charge as the tournament favourites bludgeoned 105 in the final 10 overs, with Mitchell Marsh adding 23 and Brad Haddin 30 against largely short-pitch death bowling.
One bright spot that England could take into their innings was a hat-trick for Finn off the final three balls - the first Englishman to achieve such a feat in a World Cup - as he had Haddin, Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson caught.
Some freebies from Josh Hazelwood allowed the chase to get off to a positive start, although Moeen Ali was soon back in the pavilion for 10 as he miscued a pull shot off Mitchell Starc straight to the fielder at mid-on.
The introduction of Johnson and Marsh into the attack increased what was already a demanding run rate and the latter had Gary Ballance, who was preferred to Ravi Bopara in the lineup, caught for 10 at short mid-wicket.
He soon had Ian Bell (36) and Joe Root (5) caught on the hook, and it was attempting this shot that captain Morgan bottom edged through to still-agile veteran Haddin behind the stumps for a fourth duck in seven games.
An even better catch from Smith diving to his left in the covers spelt the end of Buttler for 10, but Woakes stuck around with Taylor to make 37 in a 92-run partnership which prevented a demoralising collapse.
After looking unsure upon his arrival, Taylor benefitted from the pressure-free environment of the game being beyond England to cut loose and accelerate quickly past fifty and towards his first one day international ton.
Broad and Finn went cheaply to the Aussie quicks to leave number 11 Anderson nervously trying to keep him company at 195-9, and 11 fours and two maximums helped Taylor go deep into the 90s.
He was two from his hundred when hit on the pads by Hazelwood. Taylor successfully referred Aleem Dar's decision, only for the square-leg umpire to give Anderson run out while the ball appeared to be dead.
England will look to recover from this defeat when they face the other co-hosts New Zealand in Wellington on Friday.
Joe Fish
