Good signs for Australia

As Michael Clarke has been at pains to point out, Australia's one-day side looks vastly different to the team which relinquished the Ashes and that was underlined by Callum Ferguson and Cameron White.

The pair delivered career-best innings as a revamped Australian team began its seven-match one-day series against England with a thrilling four-run victory at The Oval on Friday night.

Clarke, deputising as skipper until Ricky Ponting returns for the fourth game, was thoroughly impressed by his inexperienced team's performance in the field and ability to scrap 260 on a sluggish deck.

The score was 15 to 20 runs short of what Australia had desired but, as Clarke graciously conceded after the game, that was due in part to the captain's tame 45 off 72 balls during the middle innings.

That aside, Clarke said there was much to like for Australia, whose victory at The Oval was its 10th from the past 22 in the 50-over format.

Ferguson, whom many are tipping to be the next debutant in Australia's Test line-up, enhanced his reputation with a man-of-the-match 71 off 75 balls.

Not only did he steer Australia's innings back on course but he also crunched invaluable runs at the death.

White, batting at No.3 while Ponting rests back home, registered his maiden half-century but, more importantly for Clarke, showed he could be dangerous in any position.

"I think he showed today he can rotate the strike early against the new ball but we've all seen how dangerous he can be at the end of an innings hitting fours and sixes," he said.

"It's great to see him performing well, he's a got a great future."

Clarke said Australia, hungry after two washouts at Old Trafford, showed tremendous energy in the field and with the ball.

Nathan Hauritz, Australia's most improved bowler, made two important breakthroughs, and Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Bracken both varied their pace with great effect.

Clarke, however, praised the contribution of Shane Watson, who followed up a crisp 46 with 1-40 from six overs at a time when England's asking rate climbed above 10 an over.

"Someone who can bat like that and can bowl and is pretty good in the field ... that's why we've tried really hard to look after him and get him on the park whenever we could," Clarke said.

"I think Watto's as confident as I've ever seen him, in everything - the way he's playing, his body, touch wood there. He's training quite hard and finally getting the results."

England, meanwhile, was left to lament its summer-long weakness of failing to convert starts with the bat into big scores.

None of its top five passed 50 even though all reached double figures.

But the all-round form of 21-year-old Adil Rashid was a highlight.

Rashid found drift and turn with his leg-spin, conceding only 37 runs from 10 overs, then crunched 31 off 23 balls to carry England inches from victory.

"Today, in a big game for him, I thought he was exceptional with the way he bowled," said England captain Andrew Strauss.

"Someone like Michael Clarke who is a very good player of spin struggled against him for a while there. That's encouraging. He's got the capability to be a genuine all-rounder, which is exciting."