After losing the Ashes series 4-0 a drought ended for the tourists as opener Jason Roy scored a remarkable knock of 180 runs off 151 balls to help England outclass Australia by five wickets in the first ODI at Melbourne on Sunday.
Earlier, Aaron Finch scored a century for Australia as they posted an imposing total in the first innings. After being sent in to bat by England captain Eoin Morgan, the home side posted 304 for eight from their 50 overs.
Roy's 180-run knock is not just his ODI-best but also is the highest score by an England batsman in ODI cricket. With this, the England opener scripted history, breaking teammate Alex Hales' highest score of 171 runs.
Chasing a target of 305, England rode on Roy's 180, which was well decorated by five sixes and 16 boundaries. With England captain Joe Root, Roy established a record stand of 221 runs for the third-wicket.
The 221-run partnership stand outdid the previous best of 213 runs for England by a third-wicket pair. It was the pair of Neil Fairbrother and Graeme Hick in 1991 who made history.
Coming off a 4-0 loss in the five-test Ashes series, England won the toss and sent Australia in to bat Sunday in the series-opening ODI, then chased down the target of 305 with seven balls and five wickets to spare.
The South Africa-born Roy was dominant from the start of the chase and surpassed his own high score of 162, which he scored against Sri Lanka at the Oval in June, 2016.
His fourth ODI hundred gave him two of the four biggest ODI innings ever for England before he eventually skied a catch into the outfield from Mitchell Starc's bowling.
Root was unbeaten on 91 at the end as England reached 308-5 in the 49th over, having joined Roy in the sixth over when England was 60-2.
The World Cup champion Australians posted 304-8, with opener Aaron Finch scoring 107 and putting on 118 in a fourth-wicket partnership with Mitchell Marsh (50).
England took the early advantage when they dismissed key batsman David Warner (2) and Steve Smith (23) inside the first 11 overs. When Travis Head was out for 5 to the last ball of the 14th over, Australia was in trouble at 78-3.
But Finch reached his ninth ODI century — his fourth against England — and Marsh posted his 10th ODI half century to revive the innings.
When Finch reached 75 he surpassed 3,000 ODI runs and went on to a century from 112 balls, raising the milestone with a six off legspinner Adil Rashid, the third of his innings.
He was out soon after, mis-hitting a ball from Moeen Ali that was caught by Jonny Bairstow at wide mid-wicket.
Marsh was bowled by Rashid as he stepped away to leg and missed a sliding delivery that hit leg stump.
Marcus Stoinis scored 60 down the order, reaching his second ODI half century from 37 balls with five fours and a six.
Game two of the five-match series will be in Brisbane on Friday.
(With AP inputs)
