AUSTRALIA insisted yesterday they will be more than happy if England stick to their gung-ho gameplan at Lord’s — because that way the tourists believe they can take wickets.

Mitch Marsh mustered just one, that of dangerous opener Alex Hales, as Australia went 1-0 up in the series with a 59-run victory at the Rose Bowl.

The second match of five is at HQ today, little more than 36 hours after the first finished on the south coast.

All-rounder Marsh also shared a crucial unbroken century stand for the seventh wicket with Matthew Wade as the World Cup winners recovered from a mid-innings stumble to top 300 on Thursday.

Australia, like England, are much-changed — for different reasons — since the global tournament Down Under last winter and Marsh senses that their success in Southampton was an important one.

They have already lost the Ashes this summer and were also defeated in a one-off Twenty20, raising the stakes for the one-day international series.

England responded to their miserable World Cup campaign by bringing in a raft of new faces and briefing them to go with their attacking instincts at all times.

Australia, Marsh claims, have more than enough talent to be proactive too, but he spots an opportunity in counter-attack if England stay on the front foot.

He said: “The term ‘playing without fear’ is often thrown around but I think in this side we have enough players to go out there and back ourselves in whatever we’re doing.

“We know they’re going to come hard at me,” Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell.

“We said in our team meeting that it gives us an opportunity to take wickets.

“If they’re going to come hard at us then so be it. The only way to stop their team scoring runs is by taking wickets. Our attack allows us to do that.”

Australia return to the capital this weekend having won both Ashes Tests there this summer, with Marsh involved each time after being recalled in place of Watson at Lord’s.

The urn was lost 3-2 to England, leaving the all-rounder to reflect on that disappointment but also seek some ODI redemption.

“It’s obviously been a long tour and it’s never easy when you don’t win,” said Marsh. “It was my first Ashes experience, so it’s certainly been an eye-opener.

“For me, the goal has been to win this one-day series. I really want to beat England in England and I hope we can do that.”