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Melbourne: Shane Watson's first century of the summer inspired Australia to a stunning six-wicket triumph over England in the Commonwealth Bank Series opener at the MCG.
Watson marked the fortieth anniversary of one-day international cricket on Sunday with an unbeaten 161 off 150 balls to spearhead a record successful run chase in Melbourne.
Australia ran down England's total of 294 with five balls remaining and closed the match in emphatic fashion when Watson lofted Ajmal Shazhad over long on for six sparking jubilant scenes from the crowd of 34,845.
It was a night the opener will never forget, breaking through for his first hundred after five half-centuries in 14 innings this summer and first at ODI level on Australian soil.
Not only that, but Watson passed his previous highest score of 136 not out in a batting masterclass featuring 12 fours and four sixes.
He was simply brutal on the entire England attack during what must surely be the innings of his lifetime.
Watson laid the platform for Australia's chase by proving the dominant partner in 100-plus run partnerships with Brad Haddin and captain Michael Clarke.
Watson and Haddin put on 110 inside 20 overs before Haddin holed out to Ajmal Shazhad on the deep mid-wicket boundary for 39.
Haddin, who had early missed three stumpings during the Australian innings, struggled for touch throughout his knock, but still hit five boundaries in an otherwise handy innings.
Watson continued on his merry way when joined by Clarke, who like Haddin found it hard to get in on the MCG wicket.
While Clarke opened his innings with 11 consecutive singles, Watson was belting the ball to all areas, including two consecutive sixes off England left-armer Michael Yardy.
Earlier, After winning toss and elected to bat first, England capitalised on another hapless performance from Australia in the field to post an imposing total.
Kevin Pietersen led the way for England with 78 from 75 balls, including three sixes.
It was England's highest total in a one-day international against Australia in Australia, and also their highest at the MCG.
Just over a month before their World Cup defence, the Australians dropped catches, missed stumpings, botched run outs and wickets from no-balls, as well as more than a dozen wides, in a calamitous display in the field.
The rot set in early for the home side when Steve Smith and Brett Lee somehow got in each other's way at the non-striker's end to mess up an elementary run out to give opener Steve Davies (42) a life before he had scored.
With England captain Andrew Strauss on 17, Lee thought he had the left-hander caught on the boundary, only for a review called by umpire Bruce Oxenford to show it was a clear no-ball.
To rub salt into the wounds, Strauss, who went on to make 63 from 65 balls, smashed the subsequent free hit for four.
Shane Watson then grassed Davies, when he was on 18, at short cover, from the bowling of Lee before wicketkeeper Brad Haddin squandered the first of three missed stumpings when Davies was on 24 from the bowling of David Hussey.
The blunders enabled England to get off to a flyer, and the visitors were 90-0 after 12 overs.
Haddin later missed another simple stumping when Strauss was on 48 and facing Xavier Doherty.
The New South Welshman made it a hat-trick of missed stumpings when he cost Hussey for a second time, with Pietersen the beneficiary when on 37.
The belligerent Englishman made the Aussies pay immediately, lofting the unlucky Hussey for successive sixes to bring up his half-century and his team's 200.
Brief scores
England 294 (Pietersen 78, Strauss 63)
Australia 297 for 4 (Watson 161*)
Result Australia won by six wickets
MOM Shane Watson (Australia)
