Australia thumped England by eight wickets in the tri-series opener at the MCG, while the loss of star batsman Kevin Pietersen for the series made defeat even more painful for the tourists.

Pietersen won't play again this series because of a fractured rib, which he suffered when struck by a Glenn McGrath delivery late in England's innings.

The visitors' best batsman has been told to rest for up to five weeks in what is another morale-sapping blow for a side which lost the Ashes 5-0 and looks out of its depth in the limited overs game in a World Cup year.

England made a respectable 8-242 thanks mainly to Pietersen's 82, but that target was made to look mediocre by Australia's in-form batsmen.

Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden celebrated their reuniting with a century opening stand, before captain Ricky Ponting (82 not out) and Michael Clarke (57 not out) motored Australia (2-246) home with 28 balls to spare.

England's total was respectable given the hammerings the tourists have copped this summer, but it was never going to be enough once Australia's openers got going.

Gilchrist and Hayden, who last opened together in a one-day international on the 2005 tour of England, were given a generous headstart when Andrew Flintoff and Jon Lewis bowled 13 wides between them in the first two overs.

Gilchrist blasted 60 from 61 balls as he and Hayden (28) brought up their 13th century opening stand inside 16 overs, until both departed trying to maintain the scoring rate against spinners Jamie Dalrymple and Monty Panesar.

Clarke then made good his chance at No.4 following Damien Martyn's retirement by helping Ponting post 133 in a minimum of fuss against an England attack badly lacking firepower.

Pietersen deserved much of the credit for giving England an early chance of a breakthrough win this tour, after he and Paul Collingwood (43) steadied the innings, allowing Flintoff (47 not out) to slog at the death.

Pietersen was clearly hampered after being struck while charging down the wicket to McGrath when on 73.

He received some treatment and batted on, but scans confirmed England's fears.

England's alarming lack of strokemakers means the tourists will be forced into a major rethink before their next match against New Zealand, in Hobart on Tuesday.

With Brett Lee out again for Australia with a chest infection, left-arm pacemen Nathan Bracken and Mitchell Johnson took up the slack and did their World Cup prospects no harm with respective hauls of 3-46 and 2-34.

Australia's fielding was also its usual high standard, highlighted by Andrew Symonds' effortless running catch to dismiss Pietersen and a brilliant effort by Ponting, who plucked a chance while in mid air to remove Lewis.

Australia plays New Zealand on Sunday, in Hobart.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP