Summary

  • Australia beat England by 111 runs

  • Aus 342-9: Finch 135, Maxwell 66, Bailey 55

  • Finn (5-71) takes hat-trick off last three balls

  • Eng 231 (41.5): Taylor 98*, Marsh 5-33

  • NZ beat SL by 98 runs in World Cup opener

Live Reporting

Adam Williams and Marc Higginson

  1. Moores backing Morgan

    Eoin Morgan and Peter MooresGetty Images

    England coach Peter Moores has come out in support of his captain Eoin Morgan, who took some criticism from Test Match Special's Geoffrey Boycott earlier this week.

    Moores told BBC Radio 5 live: "As a captain, you're desperate to do well for the team, and he's had a couple of very early dismissals. But he's hitting the ball well, and he got a fantastic hundred at the SCG early in the tri-series.

    "He's got a reputation of being a big match player, so I think he's very excited about getting into the tournament proper. I'm happy with how he's playing, and I'm confident that throughout the tournament he's going to play well because he's a quality player. He knows what to expect, he knows the opposition and I think he'll be ready to go."

  2. Kane Williamson, who has been in magnificent form, is the new man. He plays out the over.

  3. Jeremy Coney
    Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

    "Very canny bowling from Herath - because McCullum had been held runless for the last couple of balls, he wanted to get after it, but he didn't have any momentum on the stroke. Even with all these heavy bats today, a spinner can still claim a wicket against a hitter."

    Listen to TMS commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

  4. WICKET

    Jeevan Mendis takes the catchReuters

    New Zealand's superb opening partnership comes to an end. McCullum tries to hoist Herath over the top, but he doesn't quite get all of it and Jeevan Mendis, with one eye on the boundary rope, pouches a very good catch high above his head.

    Scorecard

  5. Tillakaratne Dilshan comes on to bowl, but Brendon McCullum is bisecting the field like a surgeon and scampering between the wickets like a whippet. He picks up three with a precise back-foot punch through the covers. This by the way is only the second time since 2003 that New Zealand have put on 100 for the first wicket at a World Cup.

  6. Andrew Samson
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    Tillakaratne DilshanGetty Images

    "If Tillakaratne Dilshan takes three wickets he will become the sixth player to score 9,000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODIs - and the third Sri Lankan after Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya. The others are Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. Dilshan will be the only one who also has a stumping."

  7. Jeremy Coney
    Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

    "There's been some very good batting, but this is a shirt-front of a wicket. We've not seen much bounce, although Malinga because of his action tends to skid it on. So it's looked quite comfortable for New Zealand so far."

  8. Now even the reliable Rangana Herath is misfiring. The spinner floats one up wide outside off stump and Guptill dispatches it over the covers for four with brutal efficiency. There is a hint of turn though, as Herath gets one to bite and take the shoulder of McCullum's blade, but there's no catcher there. Seven from the over, and Sri Lanka need a breakthrough here.

  9. Trouble for Angelo Mathews as Martin Guptill hoists him over long-on for another four. Not to be outdone, McCullum stands tall and lofts the bowler down the ground for four more.

  10. Email tms@bbc.co.uk

    Andy in Redhill: Good on Christchurch for opening the World Cup at the Hagley Oval - they could do with a boost after what they've been though in the last few years. I dare say the England team might've preferred a parkland venue in, & against, NZ rather than Australia at the MCG for their opener!

  11. 50 for McCullum

    Brendon McCullum celebrates reaching 50Reuters

    Rangana Herath unleashes a raucous appeal as he gets one to strike McCullum's pad, but Nigel Llong demurs. The skipper then brings up his fifty with a cut for two, then smashes the bowler back over his head for a shackle-loosening four.

  12. Sri Lanka's Angelo MathewsReuters

    The powerplay is over for New Zealand - will that slow their momentum? Immediately Sri Lanka have an optimistic appeal as Angelo Mathews gets one to seam back in, but that looked to strike Brendon McCullum's bat before pad. No joy with the lbw shout, but another fine over for Sri Lanka - just a single from it.

  13. Join the debate at #bbccricket

    Rashad Jurangpathy: I'm a Sri Lankan fan and this does not look promising at all - think I might call it a night!

    Matt Barron: I'd be amazed if England bat with this much intent in any of their matches. McCullum to top score in the tournament for me.

  14. Vic Marks
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    "My guess here is that Herath will bowl his full quota, and might just be the most economical of the lot."

  15. The stocky slow left-armer Rangana Herath comes into the attack, and immediately enforces some order with a tight over that costs just three runs.

  16. Text 81111

    Jack, Eastbourne: Anyone know the odds on New Zealand? Worth a tenner to go all the way. England won't make it out of the groups. Sorry.

  17. Brendon McCullum looks in glorious touch here - marrying his innate power with superb timing. He whistles a glorious square cut off Angelo Mathews straight to the boundary. The Black Caps are going along at over eight an over.

  18. Vic Marks
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga and New Zealand's Brendon McCullumReuters

    "The New Zealand captain is tormenting Malinga with those boundaries - Malinga is looking vulnerable. I can't remember the ball beating the bat in this innings, Sri Lanka have gone into defensive survival mode very quickly."

    Listen to TMS commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

  19. SIX

    Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullumReuters

    Oh dear. Malinga immediately undoes the skipper's good work by sending a full toss at Brendon McCullum's waistband - the ball disappears to the fine leg boundary with a disdainful swat of the willow. And four more follows as the skipper clips one off his legs to the midwicket fence. More bad news - it's a no ball. Free hit, and McCullum launches Malinga's misdirected yorker back over his head for the first six of the tournament. The skipper isn't done with the punishment - he finishes the over with consecutive fours through gully and midwicket. 23 from the over. Ouch.

  20. Join the debate at #bbccricket

    Some of you are already looking ahead to England-Australia at 03:30 GMT...

    Alex Watson: Good luck England. I won't be up at 3:30am but I have every confidence in you guys.

    Rob Sillett: Early rumours of Ballance at three, Taylor down to six. Taylor's made number three his, this last two months.