A workmanlike innings by Steve Smith helped Australia reach 280-8 in the second one-day international at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Smith made 94 from 114 balls to anchor the Australian innings after stand-in captain Josh Hazlewood earlier won the toss and decided to bat on a dry wicket that proved difficult to score on.
Hazlewood was brought into the side for captain Pat Cummins, who was rested with an eye to the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.
The pitch initially offered little help for the seamers but it deteriorated as the innings progressed.
The Australian openers looked in no trouble whatsoever until England captain Moeen Ali opted to bowl his off-spinners with immediate results, David Warner sweeping him straight to Liam Dawson at backward square.
Chris Woakes had been expensive early but he began to assert some control, frustrating the Australians with a series of off-cutters that proved hard to score from.
Travis Head was fooled by a change of pace and meekly pulled a Woakes short ball to mid-wicket to fall for 19 and leave Australia 43-2.
Marnus Labuschagne, who made 58, joined Smith at the crease and the two put on 101 before Labuschagne tried to swat Adil Rashid over square-leg only to get a top edge to Jason Roy at mid-off.
Rashid struck next ball, having Alex Carey stumped with some neat glove work by Sam Billings, standing in at keeper for Jos Buttler.
Mitchell Marsh continued to build the innings, with he and Smith adding another 90 runs and looking increasingly comfortable.
But just when Smith looked like getting his 13th ODI century, he tried to smash Rashid over the long-off boundary, only to pick out Phil Salt in the deep.
Marsh holed out in the deep for 50 but some late hitting from Ashton Agar (18 from 12 deliveries) allowed the Australians to reach a competitive total.