First one-day international, Perth
England 131 (33.4 overs): Atkinson 29*; Beardman 6-24
Australia 132-3 (23.3 overs): Marsh 50, Connolly 27
Australia won by seven wickets
England meekly offered Australia respite from the ongoing sandpaper scandal by being bowled out for 131 in a seven-wicket thrashing in the first one-day international in Perth.
asserted
England → win → Perth
Hours after Pat Cummins emphatically hit back at Usman Khawaja's comments, Harry Brook's England folded as 21-year-old fast bowler Mahli Beardman emerged with a stunning 6-24 on his ODI debut.
asserted
Beardman → hit → debut
Beardman nicked off Brook in his second over for his first international wicket.
asserted
Beardman → nick → wicket
Less than two hours later, bowling accurately and at good pace, he had the best figures by an Australian on ODI debut.
asserted
he → bowl → debut
His second ODI wicket was the prized scalp of Joe Root for 17 and he also dismissed Tom Banton, whose 25 was one of only three scores over 20, Jordan Cox and Sam Curran in an opening spell of five overs that returned figures of 5-18.
asserted
that → prize → 5
Ben Duckett, Banton and Root, plus Beardman's later victims Liam Dawson and Jofra Archer, fell driving in Perth – dismissals familiar from England's wretched start to last winter's Ashes series on the same ground.
asserted
Duckett → fall → ground
This was another Perth surface offering pace and bounce and England had no answer.
asserted
England → offer → answer
Talk of the sandpaper scandal still swirls around the game - the day began with David Warner accusing Cummins of throwing Khawaja "under the bus" on the Australian TV coverage - but England missed the chance to apply more misery to their oldest foe.
asserted
England → swirl → foe
Captain Mitchell Marsh, who repeatedly dodged questions about ball tampering in his news conference on Thursday, thrashed a 29-ball fifty as Australia chased their target with a massive 26.3 overs to spare.
asserted
Australia → dodge → overs
The second of three ODIs is on Sunday in Adelaide (03:30 GMT) with England, who suffered damaging defeats in the tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka last month, desperately needing a response as they attempt to build towards next year's World Cup after four defeats in their past five matches.
asserted
they → suffer → matches
Familiar feeling in Perth
England floundering in Perth?
asserted
England → flounder → Perth
You'd be forgiven for thinking you were back in 2025.
asserted
you → forgive → 2025
Next week marks a year since the last Ashes began.
asserted
Ashes → mark → year
On that occasion, and after minimal preparation, batters were guilty of driving on the up and gifting their wickets.
asserted
batters → drive → wickets
The openers here - Banton getting a thick edge to a drive with his feet planted and Duckett slicing left-armer Spencer Johnson to backward point - were eerily familiar.
asserted
Duckett → get → point
England have had lengthy build-up here.
asserted
England → have → up
In fairness to Brook, he got a good ball from Beardman which was fiddled behind.
asserted
which → get → Beardman
Root's ball was of driving length, but he got a thick edge.
asserted
he → get → edge
Cox then tentatively nicked off from the crease for two and Curran's issues against the short ball were laid bare when he top-edged a hook to fine leg off Beardman, who exceeded 90mph at times, for a seven-ball duck.
asserted
who → nick → duck
From 65-8, Will Jacks offered brief resistance with 25 and Gus Atkinson hit the innings' only six for 29 not out.
asserted
Atkinson → offer → 29
England were still dismissed inside 34 overs - the 15th time they have been bowled out in 29 ODIs since Brendon McCullum took over as coach.
asserted
McCullum → dismiss → coach
Eleven of those instances have come when batting first.
asserted
Eleven → come → instances
"England are trying," former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Test Match Special.
asserted
Vaughan → try → Special
"It's not what it was a year ago when the message was just 'we'll just go harder and, if we get bowled out, we'll go harder the next time'.
asserted
we → go → ?
"I didn't see that today but what I saw were some basic errors on the pitch they're playing on and for this side to become a side that can win the World Cup in a year, they need to improve quickly.
asserted
they → see → year
"
Beardman shines bright
asserted
Beardman → shin → ?
The win will not banish all talk of sandpaper in Australia but at least provided a distraction.
asserted
win → banish → distraction
It is unlikely Beardman would be playing in this series had Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – the three fast bowlers whose role in Cape Town has been pushed back into the spotlight by Khawaja's new book – not been rested.
asserted
role → play → book
Now front and centre after a young career hampered by back injuries, Beardman hinted at what future could await when those three iconic bowlers do retire.
uncertain
bowlers → hamper → injuries
Using the life the pitch offered, he threatened with full balls and short, and bowled an ideal line.
asserted
he → use → line
Xavier Bartlett, 27, was also impressive with the new ball while Johnson added the wickets of Jamie Overton and Jacks after the scalp of Duckett.
asserted
Johnson → add → Duckett
Travis Head, who put England to the sword in the Perth chase a year ago, dragged on for a first-ball duck.
asserted
who → put → duck
Like Head before him, Marsh flogged the bowling, looking far more comfortable than England on his home ground when clubbing four sixes over the leg side.
asserted
Marsh → flog → side
"Batting here with extra pace and bounce you need to invest a bit more in the early part of your innings," former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody said.
asserted
Moody → bat → innings
"You don't have to leave every ball, but be a bit more mindful.
asserted
You → have → ball
England didn't make the assessment and make the adjustment to be productive.
asserted
England → make → adjustment
I'm not saying it's a 300 surface, but you would be disappointed with something between 230 or 250.
asserted
you → say → 230
"There was a consistent theme in their whole innings where they were pushing at length balls which were bouncing and moving away."
asserted
which → be → balls
After Marsh holed out for 50 and Cooper Connolly 27, Josh Inglis and Matthew Renshaw calmly steered Australia to their win.
asserted
Inglis → hole → win
They took their time but only twice before had they beaten England with as many balls to spare.
asserted
they → take → balls
The Aporia
