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
England 50-2 (10 overs) - target 343
Batsmen: Bell 24*, Root 1*
Fall of wickets: 25-1 (Moeen 10), 49-2 (Ballance 10)
Bowling figures: Starc 3-1-10-1, Hazlewood 4-0-30-0, Johnson 2-0-7-0, Marsh 1-0-2-1
Australia 342-9 (50): Finch 135, Maxwell 66, Finn 5-71
The Aussies, decked out in yellow, are buzzing around the field like a swarm of bees. England need to be stung into action soon because their run-rate of five an over is well below the 7.32 they need to win this opening match.
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"It was a lovely bit of fielding trap Australia set for him, but he hit it straight at him. I have to feel for Gary Ballance as he's had very little cricket and he comes in to play in the biggest match outside the quarter-finals and I'm not sure what England are thinking."
The Aussies are putting their foot to England's throat here. The runs have dried up and now Gary Ballance clips a catch to Aaron Finch at midwicket. Mitchell Marsh has his first World Cup victim.
Image source, Getty ImagesIan Bell doesn't seem too fazed by Mitchell Johnson's pace. Like the Teddy Sheringham of the cricket world, his extra class gives him extra time. When the whippy left-armer over-pitches, Bell pounces and carves four over extra cover. He middles another and it looks a certain four until George Bailey makes a fine diving stop.
Phil Coulson: England can't get the 1st 15 overs right. NZ smashed 110 in that period and it set them up. England don't seem capable.
Tobs: England struggle to get over 280 in one-day cricket ..this will be a walk in the Park for Oz.
Deano: Ian Bell is playing a stormer, nice to see a Coventry lad playing at the top level.
Josh Hazlewood wipes the sweat from his brow on this muggy Melbourne evening. Ian Bell and Gary Ballance seem content to take their time, knowing there will be plenty of time to chase down this target. Just two from the over and quite a few leaves.
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Mitchell Johnson is certainly the most difficult bowler I ever faced in Test cricket. He was a tricky proposition in last year's Ashes. Shoaib Akhtar is still the quickest by a long way. But in terms of left-armers, Johnson is extremely intimidating."
An expectant roar emanates from the cavernous MCG stands. It can only mean one thing... Mitchell Johnson is being unleashed on the Poms. With a fresh haircut and a trimmed tash, he slowly goes through the gears against the watchful England batsmen. Two from the over.
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"It's more of a solid start than anything else. England at just over five-an-over, but they need to go at seven-an-over from this point on because of that fantastic display by Australia earlier to chase down what would be a world record score."
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Image source, Getty ImagesIs there a sudden chill in the air as the sun sets on the MCG? The umpires think so as they call for an extra layer. Ian Bell looks a million dollars out there as he pulls the ball here and flicks the ball there. Gary Ballance weighs in with a boundary through the covers. Fetch that.
Paul Day: Wake up, check BBC sport app, see that Finn has taken a hat trick! Then notice Oz have scored nearly 350. Oh well, back to bed.
Rob Jones: My prediction is we'll fall 90 runs short, at best.
Dan Healy: If England pull this off, I'll live in a monastery & take a vow of silence. No catches, like most of Eng fielding.
Andrew Walker: Moeen Ali once again throwing away his wicket, such a waste, given total and a half decent start
If you're just joining us, you might not realise that Gary Ballance is playing for England today at the expense of Ravi Bopara, meaning James Taylor drops down to six. Good decision or muddled thinking?
Moeen's dismissal brings GB to the crease and the left-hander is off the mark with a streaky four down to fine leg.
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Moeen got a couple of drives away in the previous over off Josh Hazlewood. Mitchell Starc a bit more up on his pace and Moeen gets that one too high on the bat and can't get it away."
No, Moeen, no. The England opener tries to pull one which is too quick for him and ends up splicing a catch straight to George Bailey at mid-on.
Image source, Getty ImagesGraeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"They'll be teams sat in hotel rooms watching this opening game. If England made a poor reply here and don't ever look like getting close to chasing this target, it will show those teams that England are beatable later in this tournament. What they need to do is made a real positive go at this and show their intent."
There's a touch of the Glenn McGrath's about Josh Hazlewood - he's tall, upright at the crease and likes to get in close to the wicket at the non-striker's end. Ian Bell greets the young Aussie with a sumptuous cover drive, then the left-handed Moeen Ali cracks successive boundaries through the same area.
Just joining us? Good morning. Let me quickly bring you up-to-date.
The long and short of it is that England need 343 to beat Australia in their World Cup opener at the MCG. Aaron Finch clubbed a wonderful 135 for the Aussies, after being dropped on nought. Steven Finn took a hat-trick with the final three deliveries of the innings for England.
Back to the middle, Ian Bell picks up England's first boundary when he guides Mitchell Starc past the slips for four.
England are off the mark! It's with a wide, but they'll take it. Josh Hazlewood shares new-ball duties and delivers a couple of extras but, those blips aside, slips nicely into a nice groove. He's landing it on a sixpence. Five from the over.