Australia was looking to continue their winning ways as they faced off in their first World Cup encounter.
A record World Cup combination from veterans Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning propelled Australia to a 3-310.
On an emotional day for Australian cricket, the women’s side’s leaders controlled proceedings with magnificent innings.
England captain Heather Knight won the toss and sent Australia in to bat on a shaky surface.
It was rewarded when Alyssa Healy, who had been averaging 51 since shifting to the opener, became the first to fall for 28 runs off 35 in the 9th over.
Haynes hit her first World Cup century, overcoming a shaky start to post a dominant 130 from 131 balls.
Lanning struggled early in her innings. But as the game progressed, she went on to score 86 off 109 and contribute to Australia’s biggest World Cup partnership against a major team.
Australia began scoring at more than six runs per over from the 25th over. Haynes and Lanning both hit half-centuries off Anya Shrubsole’s bowling in the 31st over.
They pushed on, with boundaries blurring, until Lanning was dismissed in the 43rd over. The next batsman Beth Mooney made a significant contribution in putting up a 300 score.
Haynes was batting beautifully but she found a fielder with seven balls remaining in the innings.
England set off their chase of 311 runs on a negative note. Megan Schutt bagged the first wicket of Winfield-Hill. She tried to smash a ball but ended up into the air which Annabel Sutherland grabbed with a diving catch.
Knight, as she has done so frequently, provided ferocious resistance, forming a solid partnership with Tammy Beaumont that swiftly surpassed the 50-run mark.
Beaumont scored 74 off 82 balls before getting dismissed by King.
Knight kept the inning in pace but in the 20th over, lost her wicket. Sciver hit 50 off 43 balls to help England conclude the 35th over with 187-5, needing 124 off 90 balls.
She scored her century in 79 balls, however, she didn’t find consistent support from the non-strike end. It wasn’t enough as England ran out of balls as their innings ended 12 runs short of Australia’s, despite Sciver’s 106-run effort.