Finch enjoys his greatest moment

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AARON Finch, it might have been your lucky day - but it was also your finest one. By far.

Having survived a simple catch off the second ball he faced yesterday, the free-hitting opening batsman earned enormous applause not simply for top-scoring with a superb century but for taking responsibility for leading Australia out of a mini-crisis when three key wickets fell in a hurry.

Finch is entertaining to watch any time he gets going - at his most aggressive, he is not far behind David Warner and Glenn Maxwell - but steering listing ships through choppy waters with care and circumspection is not what he is best known for.

But it is what he did to perfection in immensely challenging circumstances in the most important innings he has yet played.

It is difficult to exaggerate what a colossal moment it must have been when he turned paceman Steve Finn to fine leg for four to reach his century.

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Sitter: Woakes drops Finch. Source: FoxSports

For all his obvious talent, Finch, 28, has still yet to play a Test so to even be a part of a World Cup is a proud landmark.

Coming from Colac, a sleepy bush town a couple of hours down the road, he could scarcely have dreamed as a kid he would get the chance to bat in front of almost 100,000 people at the mighty MCG, let alone make a crucially important hundred.

The "G" hasn't really had a hero to call its own for a while now so Finch will certainly do until the next local in a baggy green cap takes the sporting cathedral by storm.

If that turns out to be him, hooray _ he's an impressive character, likeable and popular and with leadership acumen that has seen him appointed T20 captain.

His sixth one-day ton, and third against England, was a two-toned affair which moved into gear when he and Warner took 33 off the fourth and fifth overs delivered by England's key bowlers, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, breaking an early stalemate.

In that explosive cameo, Finch's run-rate was three times Warner's, which has almost certainly never happened to the Sydney smasher before.

Aaron Finch smashes four runs off Joe Root. Picture:Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

But when Warner, Shane Watson and Steve Smith departed, Finch reverted to head down, bum up, at one stage taking just a couple of singles off a dozen balls as his strike-rate dropped below 100.

Suddenly, he cut loose again, paddling spinner Moeen Ali over his shoulder for four, driving Anderson for six and smashing part-timer Joe Root for four and six as his hundred hoved into sight.

Once that was achieved, the rest was a master-class with a bit of everything, including the reverse sweep, as he and Bailey put on 146.

Finch comes of age on the biggest stage. Source: Getty Images

Finch's fireworks ended unworthily and wastefully when he was run out by metres challenging England captain Eoin Morgan to throw down the stumps from close range.

With 13 overs of potential mayhem still left, Finch cursed as he walked off to a standing ovation.

His 135 off 128 balls with 12 fours and three sixes was the fifth highest World Cup score by an Australian and only the second hundred on home soil, David Boon registering the first in 1992.

For Finch, it was an unforgettable occasion — and for fieldsman Chris Woakes, who failed to hang on to the early chance, it will take some moving from the memory-bank, too.

ron.reed@news.com.au

Twitter: @Reedrw

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Swap deal option in Merrin-go-round

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ST GEORGE Illawarra management have discussed letting representative forward Trent Merrin go this season as part of a player swap which could also include financial compensation.

Merrin is off contract at the end of the 2015 season and the Dragons' best forward has received no shortage of big-money offers from rival clubs.

Both Penrith and New Zealand Warriors are leading the race for his signature, while Cronulla are also interested. The Dragons have also made Merrin their final offer.

But the smart money is on the Panthers.

Trent Merrin of the Dragons in action. Source: News Corp Australia

While there remains significant issues to address before a player swap is realised, take it as fact that the Dragons would not stand in Merrin's way if they were to receive a player in return.

Penrith forwards Sika Manu and Adam Docker have been mentioned. St George Illawarra would also seek financial compensation for the difference between Merrin's contract and any new player.

To Merrin's credit, unlike other players currently off contract, he has refused to play out his future in the media.

PEACE IN THE SHARK TANK

Sharks chairman Damian Keogh. Source: News Limited

IT went through last week without a murmur and, given the dysfunction of many of their rivals, it's quite a feat.

After two years of turmoil during the ASADA scandal, it seems stability has finally arrived at Cronulla.

The entire Sharks board got through unopposed when nominations closed on Thursday, with chairman Damian Keogh, chief executive Lyall Gorman and coach Shane Flanagan all pulling in the one direction which will no doubt please your regular columnist Buzz Rothfield.

SUNDAY SESSION

SAINT

SOPHIE Delezio. Her bid to become a Paralympian is one of the most inspiring
stories in world sport.

SINNER

NRL CEO, Dave Smith introduces the NRL's new Chief Operating Officer, Suzanne Young. Source: News Corp Australia

NRL chief operating officer Suzanne Young.

Young's charter is to oversee the integrity of the game.

Her opinion on the handling of last week's South Sydney fiasco would be welcomed, any time she's ready.

SHOOSH

THERE'S a simmering feud brewing at one NRL club where the coach is increasingly frustrated with the attitude of his star playmaker, who still has at least two years left on his contract.

SHOOSH II

WHICH off-contract NRL player's reputation has taken a hammering after he got so intoxicated on a recent trip away he had no idea he had wet his pants.

STARS CAUGHT IN 1D

WHO said One Direction was only for screaming teenage girls?

Check out this list of attendees who have been outed by their mates after being spotted at last weekend's 1D concert at Allianz Stadium.

Brendon Julian, Michael Slater, Mitch Aubusson, Jake Friend, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper, Michael Jennings, Anthony Minichiello and even the great Steve Waugh.

NRL RELAUNCH

Gavin Cooper, Cameron Smith, Josh Morris, Greg Inglis, Simon Mannering and Johnathan Thusrton at the NRL Season launch at Shed 10 on the Auckland Waterfront, New Zealand. Source: News Corp Australia

DESPITE launching the season in Auckland in January, the NRL is set to push the go button a second time, with a soiree featuring all 16 teams on February 26 in Sydney.

Let's hope Channel Nine's head of sport Steve Crawley, its head of rugby league Matt Callander and legendary sports broadcaster and host Ken Sutcliffe earn an invite this time after being overlooked in January.

Nine only tips in $90 million a year to showcase rugby league.

DOG EARNS A PAT

INJURED Canterbury forward Pat O'Hanlon deserves credit as he strives to overcome a career-threatening leg injury.

Between intense rehabilitation sessions and training, he has been working as a PR officer for NSW Mining.

O'Hanlon is hoping to be back by round 20.

BUZZ IN STATE OF SHOCK

THE usual author of these pages has swapped his pen for a clipboard to coach the Sutherland 12s team at the OzTag State Cup in Coffs Harbour.

Buzz's boys had a great tournament but narrowly missed the finals.

He accepted full responsibility and told us he'd never bag an NRL coach again.

He'll be back next week.

NEW T20 GOLF SUITS BRAITH TO A TEE

Golf pro Paul Gow and rugby league player Braith Anasta. Photo: Bob Barker. Source: News Corp Australia

YOU'VE heard of World Series Poker, now get ready for the World Series of Golf.

In a move that will inject new interest in the gentleman's game, pros and amateurs alike will have the chance to share in a prize pool worth $250,000 when they tee off in Australia's inaugural World Series of Golf at Castle Hill Country Club on June 30.

Celebrities including former NRL player Braith Anasta, who plays off scratch, and PGA tour pro Paul Gow will feature in golf's version of Twenty20 cricket.

The format and rules are like no other golf tournament, with players to compete against their group — not against the field.

There will also be multiple-cup holes and a bag limit of just five clubs per player.

"It's a great concept that will hopefully attract more fans to golf with the rules designed so that anyone can beat anyone on any given day,'' Anasta said.

"It's what every amateur dreams of, standing over a six- to eight-foot putt to win $20-30,000.

"Let's just say I'll be getting plenty of practice in between now and June.''

To enter, players have to cough up $3000.

For further information go to www.worldseriesofgolf.net

COURTNEY'S A PERFECT ROLE MODEL

Ironwoman champion Courtney Hancock. Pic supplied by Sarah Pendergast Source: Supplied

THREE-TIME ironwoman queen Courtney Hancock is wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Hancock has been chosen to help launch a new ad campaign called the "Be You" initiative for popular active wear label, The Upside.

The campaign is designed to give women confidence and help them "be at home in their own skin".

Hancock is a fitting choice, having told her story to The Sunday Telegraph last year of being bullied as a teenager, and she is making an effort to show other young girls that it's OK to be different.

"I try to live my life by one thing, and that's being happy,'' Hancock said.

"The 'Be You' campaign is exactly what I try to be every day. It's important you just be you."

ALL ABOARD THE G-TRAIN

Paul Gallen of the NRL All Stars takes on the defence. Source: Getty Images

NOT a day goes by that Paul Gallen isn't asked to give his best 'G-Train' impersonation.

"I disappoint everyone because only Beau can do the G-Train like it should be done,'' Gallen laughed.

Such is the appeal of the 'G-Train' skit made famous by The Footy Show's Beau Ryan, Gallen is about to release a range of 'G-Train' caps and shirts for this footy season.

"It's just a bit of fun which hopefully puts a smile on the faces of footy fans when they see them, especially the kids,'' Gallen said.

"Beau will want a cut in the sales, but he doesn't need it, he's got enough money.''

The shirts and caps will be available from the Cronulla Sharks website in the next month.

SADDLE UP FOR CLASSIC

HIGHLIGHT March 28 in your diaries.

The Australian Turf Club is set to announce the third weekend of the Golden Slipper carnival at Rosehill will be called Western Sydney Legends Race Day.

Not only will sporting greats Peter Sterling and Mark Waugh be part of it, all members from major sporting clubs the Parramatta Eels, Western Sydney Wanderers, Penrith Panthers and GWS will be granted free admission.

The Group 1 BMW will be the feature event of the day.

KEYS TO OPEN POPULARITY

Canada's Eugenie Bouchard plays a shot. Source: AFP

WE all know how successful the run of Nick Kyrgios was at the Australian Open.

Surprisingly, he was upstaged as the most viewed player of the tournament on website ausopen.com.

Not by Andy Murray, Rafa Nadal or even winner Novak Djokovic.

The most viewed player was American female tennis star Madison Keys, with 212,748 views compared to 208,863 from Kyrgios.

Eugenie Bouchard and Serena Williams filled positions three and four.

ENGLAND INVADE OUR MOST SACRED TURF

THE Australian dressing room at the SCG is among the most sacred of places.

But as the cricketing elite prepared for the World Cup, the unthinkable happened — England, Stuart Broad included, moved into the home dressing room.

The Poms swapped change rooms, using the home dressing room during their warm-up matches against the West Indies and Pakistan last week.

LAMB ROAST — AND YOU CAN BUY RICHIE'S SUIT

Richie Benaud one of the new Lambassadors. Source: Supplied

THE beige jacket and pink shirt worn by Richie Benaud in the recent Australia Day lamb advertising campaign have been personally signed and donated by him for auction at the Ricky Stuart Foundation fundraising dinner for autism in Canberra tomorrow week.

The dinner, which follows Stuart's annual Pro-Am event at Royal Canberra Golf Club, will have as its MC, Sam Kekovich, who also featured in the television commercial.

Bids can be sent to sarah.rea@rickystuart.org.

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How Bulldogs plan to be No.1 sports club

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AMBITIOUS, bold and daring — the Canterbury Bulldogs want to go public with their plan to become the most successful sporting club in Australia.

Celebrating their 80th anniversary as a club in 2015, the Bulldogs board are refusing to live off their rich history, instead going where other NRL club's and sporting franchises wouldn't dare by declaring that just like the players and coach Des Hasler, they too will be measured upon by success and failure.

Four-months in the making, Bulldogs management will soon release their detailed five-year strategic plan to fans and members and is highlighted by a list of lofty targets including:

* Two premierships by 2019

* A top four finish every year in the NRL and NYC (under-20s)

* Top eight finish in the NSW Cup

* A local junior is contracted to the NRL top 25 squad every year

* Club revenue is $30 million by 2020

* 30,000 average home game attendance by 2018

* 25,000 members by 2018.

Terry Lamb with Raelene Castle, CEO of the Bulldogs in front of a billboard in Belmore as the Club celebrates it's 80th anniversary this year. Source: News Limited

The Bulldogs offer to make their goals public, while daring, does two things.

It indicates a confidence within the Bulldogs front office while also suggesting that there is a level of professionalism and lack of ego which exists within the Canterbury board.

But primarily, it raises the bar to other NRL club board members, who have failed to run their club in a professional manner with their rusted-on ex-players and token 'executives.'

Canterbury chief executive Raelene Castle took The Sunday Telegraph through the strategic plan last week and explained why the club want to make their goals public.

"Because we want to be measurable not just on the football field, where our results are always clear for everyone to see,'' Castle said.

"We want to make sure our fans and our members can measure our off-field result also.

"We're going to measure our strategic plans against a scorecard and we're going to present that at our Annual General Meeting's and then people can actually rate how the board are operating and make decisions based on fact around their performance.''

TWO GRAND FINAL WINS BY 2019

Bulldogs coach Des Hasler. Source: News Corp Australia

Castle and the board sat Hasler down over summer before finalising the strategic plan. Hasler is contracted until the end of 2017, meaning he has little time to waste if the goals of the board are to be realised.

Asked if the premiership-winning coach was overwhelmed by any added pressure or expectation to deliver upon the targets, Castle said Hasler would meet the challenge head-on.

"He's up for it 100 per cent because the guy dreams about winning,'' Castle said.

"He is never going to shy away from a football target.''

BIGGER CROWDS AND GAME-DAY EXPERIENCE

Players during Bulldogs training at Belmore Oval. Source: News Corp Australia

According to the strategic plan, which will be assessed every 12-months, the Dogs will also strive to 'set the benchmark for the game day and fan experience' during both their return matches at Belmore Oval this season and ANZ Stadium in years to come.

The club has also identified an average home crowd figure of 30,000 by 2018 as a legitimate target despite a much-less home crowd average of 15,425 last season.

"The game-day experience aspect is a recognition from us that you've got some other codes doing a really good job of it like the Western Sydney Wanderers which people are really enjoying,'' Castle said.

"We don't want to be the Wanderers, because football has got their own thing — but its about how do we make the Bulldogs experience, a unique Bulldogs experience.

"It's not about entertaining more, its also about safe places where families can go without alcohol as well.

"We're just finalising those at the moment which fans will say 'wow, this is different'.''

NRL PATHWAYS

Josh Reynolds celebrates a Bulldogs win. Source: News Corp Australia

The Bulldogs boasted just one local junior in their NRL squad last season, five-eighth Josh Reynolds.

It's not good enough for a board who are determined to "deliver an innovative football program that results in consistent, un-matched on field success and nurtures local talent."

With 4,000 kids playing across 18 junior league clubs, the Dogs are aiming for a local junior to be contracted to the top 25 squad every two years.

"We've got a passionate junior rugby league competition with people that play aspire to be Bulldogs," Castle said.

"What's aspirational for us is to find that local talent out of the area and take them on the pathway all the way to the NRL."

And if the Bulldogs fail to meet and of their targets included in the plan?

"If you've got an explanation as to why and a plan as to how you're going to get there, we'll address it," Castle said.

"The reality is too we might smash that target. But that's not what this is really about.

"Its about looking to maximise all the elements that we've got."

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Broncos prepare on hallowed surface

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THE Broncos really are going all out to restore their glamour status, training at the exclusive $70,000 per year London school that taught Winston Churchill.

The Broncos will prepare for their World Club Challenge clash against Wigan at one of the United Kingdom's poshest schools, Harrow.

The Broncos are one of a select few sporting teams privileged to train on the hallowed fields of Harrow, a London private school that has produced eight British Prime Ministers.

BENNETT'S UPER-DUO SHAPES UP

It is a far cry from Red Hill's rusting gym equipment.

Harrow has 16 cricket wickets, 14 rugby pitches, an athletics track, astro turf, tennis courts and a golf course.

Students from Harrow school move between classes. Source: Getty Images

A full schooling life at Harrow will cost upwards of $500,000AUS.

Students are not even allowed to walk on its main rugby field which has a surface rated better than Twickenham and Wembley.

In fact, the surface where the Broncos will train is rated the third best in England.

Harrow's sporting history is daunting. The school produced the first two Wimbledon champions, Spencer Gore and Frank Hadow, and invented squash.

The All Blacks are one of few teams invited to train at the ground and the Broncos were welcomed into the school because of a friendship between trainer Alex Corvo and Harrow director of sport Jesse Coulson.

Some of the Australian Test team warm down at Harrow School. Source: Getty Images

Corvo also organised for the Kangaroos to train at the venue during the 2013 World Cup, which was the first time a league team had trained at Harrow.

"The facilities are brilliant and we are lucky to be there on behalf of Jesse," Corvo said.

"Jesse has actually come out to Australia and has an interest in league.

"The school has an amazing history and it is Harrow and Eton that are the most exclusive schools in England.

"I think it will be a great base for us because it has everything you could ever need."

Broncos pre-season training. Source: News Corp Australia

Wayne Bennett, Corey Parker and Justin Hodges were the last Broncos to arrive in England, getting in to London today after leaving just hours after Friday night's All Stars clash.

They face a Wigan side featuring Matt Bowen on Saturday night (England time) in front of an expected 24,000 sell out.

Wigan and Brisbane have a grand history with the club regularly competing against each other in World Club Challenge matches during the 90s.

One famous game saw Gorden Tallis unload on Wigan toughnut Terry O'Connor who managed to get in a few of his own during an intense clash in 1997.

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Grevsmuhl a name you won’t forget

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SOUTH Sydney rookie Chris Grevsmuhl could join Kiwi Test forward Tohu Harris and win a World Club Championship before making his NRL debut, as the former Cowboys junior closes in on his Rabbitohs dream.

Grevsmuhl was the talk of the Indigenous All Stars team after their shock win on Friday night, with players past and present asking about the 22-year-old Townsville lock forward who had just cut down some of the biggest names in the game.

BRISBANE TO HOST ALL STARS IN 2016

THURSTON AND GI LEAD INDIGENOUS SIDE TO VICTORY

Chris Grevsmuhl of the Indigenous All Stars celebrates with team mates after scoring a try. Source: Getty Images

"At halftime I said 'who is this guy?' He was unbelievable there," Ben Barba said.

"I'm happy he got a try, it's guys like that that aren't talked about a lot but they work their butt off and they don't get a lot of credit."

Grevsmuhl is the man who could inherit the No.13 jersey Sam Burgess carried heroically into last year's grand final.

He was destined for big things at the Cowboys but became "too comfortable" and never took the next step.

Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire recruited him to Redfern last year and now he is on the verge of selection in their WCC team that departs for England on Sunday.

Chris Grevsmuhl of the Indigenous All Stars celebrates with team mates after scoring. Source: Getty Images

Harris was the last player to win a world title before NRL debut, playing in Melbourne's 2013 WCC team that defeated Leeds Rhinos.

Grevsmuhl played in last week's Charity Shield and came up with the crucial charge-down and try in the Auckland Nines final that South Sydney won in extra-time.

With Burgess and second rower Ben Te'o now both playing rugby union, Grevsmuhl joins a backrow battle that also includes new recruit Glenn Stewart.

Chris Grevsmuhl of the Rabbitohs celebrates his try. Source: Getty Images

"I think I was quite comfortable (at the Cowboys) and wasn't getting the best out of my ability and I needed to see something new and Madge gave me an opportunity and I want to take it with both hands," Grevsmuhl said.

"There's spaces there (in the team) but I'm just trying to work hard and find a way into the team. I just can't wait for the year."

Indigenous All Stars assistant Wendell Sailor said Grevsmuhl was a player to keep an eye on in 2015.

"I saw him against the Dragons and said 'who is this kid'.

Someone texted me and said he's playing for the Indigenous team, and I'd never heard of him," Sailor said.

"These kids have big futures. That's an international 17 they just beat."

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Sutton sin-binned in Rabbitohs trial

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AS if the CCTV footage of his arrest and the US mug shots were't bad enough, John Sutton even got sin-binned in his first official footballing hit out since his Arizona arrest became public.

South Sydney coach Michael Maguire admitted the Rabbitohs had learned "a lot of lessons" out of the club's ill-fated overseas trip after the premiers ground out a 20-all draw with Queensland Cup champions Northern Pride at Redfern.

Sutton's sin-binning seemed a fitting twist to the South Sydney Arizona cover-up script, with the man who has been replaced as captain for the year ahead leading the side against the Pride.

Initially reluctant to leave the field for what was a harsh sin-binning offence, Sutton begrudgingly departed before signing autographs for fans at the entrance to the Redfern Oval bunker.

John Sutton during the Back to Redfern pre-season game. Source: News Limited

In fairness, it was a tough call against Sutton.

The Bunnies skipper produced a brilliant try-saving cover tackle on Northern Pride halfback Sam Obst, only to be penalised for holding the Pride playmaker down.

True to form, Sutton returned with a vengeance, making a strong carry before putting in a perfectly-weighted cross-field kick for the Bunnies to score their opening try.

Coach Maguire admitted it had been a difficult week for the man replaced as club captain by Greg Inglis, partially due to his misdemeanour in the US.

"Unfortunately he got sent off their for 10 minutes for that holding down tackle," Maguire said.

"They probably would have scored their if he didn't.

John Sutton thanks the crowd after the Back to Redfern pre-season game. Source: News Limited

"It was a shame but he got back out there and he got in control of the game.

"No doubt, something like that it's been a tough week for him.

"He's pretty passionate about everything he does in life and he's learned a lot of lessons as I've said.

"To get sent off and then you could see him on the sideline in the second half cheering the younger boys on.

"That's what he's become since he's been a very strong leader around our organisation.

"He's learned a lot of lessons out of it and so have we all. It's about putting it behind us now and moving forward."

Glenn Stewart during the Back to Redfern pre-season game. Source: News Limited

The Queensland Cup champions gave the Bunnies a run for their money, edging to a 20-8 lead with 15 minutes to play before the premiers powered home to finish with a draw.

The Pride scored the opening try through winger Semi Taduala, with the Bunnies unable to capitalise on an early Tom Burgess break through the middle of the ruck.

Glenn Stewart was impressive in his opening hit out in the red and green, producing a solid opening 40 minutes before earning an early shower.

"The injuries are going well and a good season feels like it could pay off," Stewart said.

"I feel like I've got a close bond with the boys already and I'm looking to build on.

"They've all been welcoming from the staff, the players and the fans, hopefully I can repay them."

The Bunnies will leave on Sunday for the UK, where they will play St Helens in the World Club Challenge next Monday (AEST).

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Bloodbath: Aussies smash woeful England

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AUSTRALIA exploded out of the blocks in ominous pursuit of a fifth World Cup triumph, as Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh savaged England in Saturday night's electric opener at the MCG.

Hometown hero Finch basked in the glory of a masterful hundred in front of 84,336 fans to inspire the 111-run bloodbath, before Marsh chose the perfect stage to inflict his first five-wicket haul and finish the job.

In the players' race pre-match, David Warner and bar fight nemesis Joe Root exchanged looks that could kill, but it was Finch who landed the blows – 12 fours and three brutal sixes to be precise in a scintillating innings of 135 off 128 balls.

MATCH CENTRE: CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCORECARD, VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS AND EXTENSIVE STATS

FINCH ENJOYS HIS GREATEST MOMENT

VIDEO: IS THIS THE WORST HAT-TRICK EVER?

THE WATERBOY: CLARKE PLAYS WAITING GAME

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Even if he was dropped on zero by Chris Woakes in the first over of the match, it was easily the best of Finch's six ODI centuries, as he powered Australia to 9-342 – the biggest ever total by the hosts at the MCG and the largest England has ever suffered in a World Cup.

"(After being dropped on zero) you just put it out of your mind don't you," Finch said after being named man of the match.

"Everyone contributed right through the order with bat or ball or did something special in the field. So it's a great feeling to get this one out of the way and take momentum through the rest of the tournament."

Mitchell Marsh celebrates the wicket of Eoin Morgan. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

Even considering last summer's Ashes whitewash, this was a humiliating defeat of epic proportions, and that was with Mitchell Johnson only coming to the party late as England wilted to be all out for 231 after 42 overs.

In moves typical of their scrambled World Cup mindset, England changed tact at the last minute by recalling Gary Ballance to No.3, even though he hadn't played a match all tour, before winning the toss and making the negative choice to bowl.

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Now it's difficult to see how England can lift themselves off the canvas in a tournament they look no closer to ever winning.

England villain Stuart Broad had Australia on the rocks for a while at 3-70 when he removed Warner and under-pressure Shane Watson in successive balls.

But a fighting 146-run stand between Finch and George Bailey (55) turned the match on its head and in the process, revived the vice-captain's bid to remain in the side when Michael Clarke returns to the fold next week.

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Glenn Maxwell also rose to the occasion in front of his home fans with a spectacular knock of 66 off 40 featuring 11 boundaries, and Marsh (23 off 20) and Brad Haddin (31 off 14) also had their fun.

Steve Finn (5-71) took just the eighth hat-trick in World Cup history off the last three balls of the innings, but it was nothing to write home about – Haddin, Maxwell and Johnson all went down swinging to every corner of the ground.

Finch's blazing hundred was always going to be hard to top, but 23-year-old sensation Marsh may have cemented his place in Australia's full-strength XI – even when Clarke and James Faulkner return – with his career-best haul of 5-33.

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Marsh became the third player in the match (after Broad and Finn) to find himself on a hat-trick ball after removing danger man Ian Bell (36) and Root in the 14th over to leave England 4-66.

Although he didn't join Finn in the hat-trick club, Marsh took up from where Johnson left off in Perth – and removed England's battling captain Eoin Morgan for yet another duck – his fourth in five innings.

It took a stunning catch by keeper Haddin down the leg-side to remove Morgan, but Steve Smith went one better and laid down an early marker for catch of the tournament with a flying effort to send Jos Buttler packing and give Marsh his fifth.

Stuart Broad celebrates after dismissing David Warner. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

Australia's catching and work in the field was poor during the Test summer, but it couldn't have been sharper on Saturday night – much to the delight of coach Darren Lehmann, who says that fielding wins World Cups.

Once the damage was done at 6-92, England batsman James Taylor dug in and deserved a hundred only to be dramatically stranded on 98 not out after DRS saved him from an lbw dismissal but partner James Anderson was run out at the other end.

England skipper Morgan admitted his side needed to do much better to be any sort of force at this tournament.

"Yeah we started a bit slow and cold which was disappointing," Morgan said. "Finny taking his second five for on this tour so far has been great and James Taylor at the end very unlucky not to get a hundred.

"If we keep learning hopefully we'll hit our straps by the quarter-finals.

"Senior players need to step up, myself included."

The only problem Australia face in their chase of a memorable Cup win on home soil is a good one – who to leave out?

When Clarke and all-rounder James Faulkner return to fitness, selectors face some tough choices as they look to settle on their best XI for the finals' charge.

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See how all the action unfolded in our blog below

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