England were handed a chastening reminder of the challenges ahead in the World Cup as Australia laid down yet another ominous reminder of why they are the pre-tournament favourites with an emphatic destruction in the Carlton Tri-Series Final in Perth.
At one stage, England had the hosts 60-4 and were dominating proceedings. That was until Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh rebuilt the innings cleverly with a match-altering partnership of 141. If Maxwell and Marsh's partnership was careful and intelligent, the end of innings blitz by James Faulkner - 50 off 24 balls - was explosive and brutish.
Maxwell was eventually dismissed for a career ODI best of 95 from 98 deliveries and will be disappointed to miss out on a maiden international hundred. However, he will be relieved to put doubts about his place in the side to bed with a match-winning innings for his country.
Maxwell began cautiously before turning on the fireworks during a batting powerplay best typified with an outrageous switch-hit off Chris Woakes. Woakes himself had a day to forget as he went for 89 in his 10 overs - much of the damage coming from James Faulkner with his last over costing 22 - and followed later with a first ball duck from the bowling of Maxwell.
England had began brightly, however, with both openers Aaron Finch and David Warner being dismissed by James Anderson before the ten over mark. Australia captain Bailey was next to depart in the 12th over caught at short-leg by James Taylor off the bowling of Stuart Broad.
Australia will head into the World Cup full of confidence after this emphatic victory. However, doubts still remain about their line-up. George Bailey is struggling for runs and with Michael Clarke gaining momentum on his return from a hamstring injury, it is Bailey's place that is under scrutiny. The Tasmanian Bailey is averaging 16.78 in his last 15 ODI's, he could conceivably be captain for one game and then be dropped from the side if he can't find a big score soon.
England then conceived to dismiss Steve smith relatively cheaply - 40 runs is cheaply given Smith's current form - to leave the hosts reeling at 60-4. Maxwell and Marsh batted sensibly until the 36th over when they took the batting powerplay. Maxwell exploded. The five powerplay overs went for 46 runs and Maxwell hit seven boundaries before top-edging a pull straight up for a simple catch to fall short of a deserved hundred.
Marsh was run out for a well compiled 60 soon after leaving James Faulkner to bludgeon a quickfire 50 including 22 off one Woakes over and a six off the last ball of the innings to bring up his fifty and leaving England with an uphill task to win the title.
The reply never gained any momentum as wickets fell regularly.
Ian Bell edged a superb Josh Hazlewood delivery behind for eight and was quickly followed by James Taylor who drove Mitchell Johnson aerially to Maxwell at backward point to be dismissed for four. The Taylor wicket was contentious, however, as the replays indicated that Johnson had over-stepped the line and should have been called for a no-ball.
England recovered slightly before Johnson fired in a short delivery that Moeen Ali could only fend to slip before Eoin Morgan left the very next delivery and watched his off-stump be pegged back and witness England's chances evaporate.
Maxwell confirmed his status as man of the match as he then took four wickets of the lower-middle-order to cement Australia's status as pre-tournament favourites and Carlton Tri-Series champions as he dismissed Bopara (33), Buttler (17), Woakes (0) and Broad (22) to leave England 112 runs short.
The victory however, was determined not with Maxwell the bowler, but by Maxwell the batsmen who changed the momentum of the match entirely during the powerplay period.