ODI champs ready to be hunted by England

Australia could suffer from a spell of déjà vu on Thursday when they come up against a familiar-looking England side in the first one-day international in Southampton.

Following Australia’s success at the 2015 World Cup and their disastrous exit in the group stage, England have unashamedly copied their oldest rival’s tactics in the 50-over format of the game.

So far, the move has worked with a pulsating victory over World Cup finalists New Zealand evidence of the dramatic transformation Eoin Morgan’s men have gone through in the past six months.

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England celebrate beating New Zealand // Getty Images

A fundamental part of England’s form reversal has been their attack at all costs mentality and the backing of their players to express themselves and play their natural game, no matter the situation.

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The shift in mindset has seen England score 400 for the first time in ODI cricket while exposing some of the most exciting young players in the world to the top level, such as David Willey, Jason Roy, Sam Billings and Mark Wood.

And the stark turnaround in form has surprised no one more than England’s limited-over captain Morgan.

"Yes, absolutely,” Morgan said. "The development of the side in that one-day series has been brilliant.

"Even in the game the other day (T20 against Australia in Cardiff), we managed to continue the aggressive nature in which we played - both with ball and bat.”

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But now the real test for the ‘new’ England has arrived – taking on the team that pummelled them on the opening day of the World Cup and the one they’re trying to emulate.

Australia are entering their own new era under the leadership of Steve Smith.

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Smith is now the full-time captain of Australia in the Test and 50-over formats, and was a key member of the side that walloped England last summer.

And now it’s Smith’s task to keep his side at the top of the ODI rankings and fend off all challengers, even copycats like their opponents in the five-match series starting tonight.

"They've got a couple of new players in and the way they played against New Zealand was really good. They took the game on," Smith said of England’s new approach to one-day cricket.

"I think Moeen Ali said the other day they're trying to play quite similarly to the way we play, so we know what they're going to do.

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"We just need to be on from ball one and make sure we can counter-attack what they come at us with.

"I think they've come a long way in the last little bit.

"We're a very good one-day side. We're No.1 in the world at the moment and we're certainly going to be hunted.

"Hopefully we can continue to play well in one-day cricket and continue to have a lot of success."

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Smith says Australia feel comfortable facing their familiar foes, and worries only on seizing the moment when it presents itself.

"I think our boys are ready for the challenge," Smith said.

"Obviously England played really well against New Zealand in their recent one-day series, so we know how they're going to play.

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"They're going to play that same positive brand of cricket they've been playing (in recent months).

"For us as a bowling group, we've got to make sure we get the ball in the right areas enough and making sure we're challenging their defence.

"They're going to come quite hard so we're going to get opportunities - if we get the ball in the right areas.

"We've just got to make sure we take those opportunities."