After their five-day sufferings at the hands of the old enemy, England responded to a change of pace with a change of fortune.
Their first win for two months on this tour was an emphatic one. Although, before anybody gets too carried away, the dozen players representing the Cricket Australia XI were selected from those not contracted to Big Bash franchises.
Much greater challenges than the one in Sydney’s inner-west suburbs lie ahead over five one-day internationals against Australia but the influx of white-ball specialists at least served to alter the mood following the 4-0 Test series defeat.
Eoin Morgan plundered 81 runs from 76 balls as England beat a Cricket Australia XI
Alex Hales returned to England colours for the first time since September in Sydney
There were runs for Alex Hales (52 from 35 balls), Jason Roy (40 from 48 balls), Eoin Morgan (81 from 76 balls) and Jos Buttler (28 from 26 balls) in a comfortable chase, completed with 55 balls to spare, after three wickets for Adil Rashid and two for Liam Plunkett in the CA XI’s 258 for nine.
There were moments of discomfort but they were isolated and chiefly centred around the second half of the home team’s innings when not for the first time this tour England suffered at the hands of a teenage batsman.
On the eve of the Ashes it was 18-year-old Jason Sangha, who became the youngest batsman to score a first-class century against England other than the great Sachin Tendulkar.
This time it was the 17-year-old MacKenzie Harvey, nephew of World Cup winner Ian Harvey, that showcased the skills that have made him one of Australia’s rising talents.
Four times he cleared the boundary at Drummoyne Oval – an uppercut plus two hooks off Mark Wood followed by a cover drive off Plunkett – in a 39-ball 50.
Jos Buttler smacked 28 from 26 balls as England raced home by five wickets
Jason Roy hit 40 from 48 balls at the top of the order as he opened with Jonny Bairstow
There appeared time for Harvey to double up at that point, only for leg-spinner Rashid to successfully lure the left-hander out of his ground with a googly that provided Jos Buttler with the simplest of stumpings.
Earlier, Wood produced arguably the most venomous bouncer by an England bowler of the entire tour when he seared the ball past CA captain Matt Renshaw’s chin with his third delivery.
Renshaw had been expected to face England in the Test series but a chronic lack of form meant his first acquaintance with the country of his birth this winter came in more modest circumstances.
With Joe Root out the back batting in the nets, where Dawid Malan worked on his leg-spin with ex-Australia international Stuart MacGill, Morgan rotated his bowlers and worked on plans for the Gillette Series that starts on Sunday in Melbourne.
England Test captain Joe Root was carrying the drinks as he was rested following illness
Liam Plunkett took two for 52 from nine overs in his first action of the tour Down Under
Mark Wood seared a bouncer past Matt Renshaw’s chin with just his third delivery
When England batted it was Roy rather than Hales – in his first appearance since being banned for two matches at the end of last summer – that was chosen to open with Jonny Bairstow.
Roy, who has been struggling for fluency with Sydney Sixers at the Big Bash, hinted at a return to form by forcing Australia’s premier female umpire Claire Polosak to raise her arms above her head with a flick off his pads into the picket fence off Chadd Sayers.
But it was Hales – who will be subject of an ECB disciplinary hearing once the future of Ben Stokes becomes clear – that stole the show with a ferocious assault on Renshaw, whose one over of off-spin cost 21 runs.