Paceman Tom Curran took five wickets for 35 runs to lead England to a 12-run victory over Australia and complete a 4-1 win in the five-match one-day international series on Sunday.
Curran bowled Tim Paine (34) in the second-last over to end Australia’s resistance and the home side was all out for 247. Spinner Moeen Ali chipped in with 3-55, which included a spectacular one-handed return catch to dismiss Mitch Marsh for 13.
It was the first match at the 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium, which replaces the WACA for international cricket in Perth. Officials said 53,781 attended.
Australia captain Steve Smith’s lean run with the bat continued in the final one-dayer, with the right-hander dismissed for 12 off 23 balls. He finished the five-match series with just 102 runs at an average of 20.4.
Earlier, Andrew Tye took a career-best five for 56 to help Australia dismiss England for 259.
Mitchell Starc thought he’d become the first bowler to take a wicket at the new stadium when wicketkeeper Paine took a good diving catch in the third over. But replays showed a front-foot no-ball, with England opener Jason Roy subsequently called back.
Roy was on 20 at the time, and went on to make 49 off 46 balls as England raced out to 71-0 by the 12th over.
Joe Root top-scored with 62 off 68 balls, but England’s middle and lower order failed to support him as the tourists lost their last six wickets for 67 runs.
“I can’t have asked for anything better to open the stadium,” Tye said.
Smith won the toss and sent England in to bat. England clinched the series by winning the first three matches before Australia won the fourth in Adelaide by three wickets, when Smith also won the toss and bowled first.
England replaced Mark Wood and Chris Woakes with Jake Ball and David Willey, while Glenn Maxwell and Starc returned for Australia. Fast bowler Pat Cummins was ruled out of the Australian side with tight hamstrings.
Cummins starred in Friday’s win in Adelaide, taking four wickets for 24 runs.
Smith said the uncertainty of how the drop-in pitch would play convinced him to bowl first.
“None of us have played here before,” Smith said. “We don’t know what it’s going to do. This will be a chance for us to look at it first, and hopefully take a few early ones again.”
England lost its first five wickets for eight runs in Adelaide.
