Australia eager to show they've cleaned up their act after ball-tampering scandal

England will shake hands with Australia before Wednesday's opening match at The Oval, though whether or not the English crowds buy into this détente remains to be seen

Australia are looking to turn over a new leaf after the scandal in South Africa (Getty)

For Australia, this one-day series against England is the first chance to start healing the wounds and repairing the damage from a tour of South Africa infamously scarred by the ball-tampering affair.

That sense of regeneration will be apparent shortly before the opening match at The Oval when the Australians shake hands with Eoin Morgan and his players on the outfield.

The initiative has been brought in by new captain Tim Paine as an outward sign of change for this Australian team.

Morgan has confirmed his players will agree to the request. Whether or not the crowd at The Oval buy into this détente is debatable.

Australia’s actions during the Cape Town Test in March, when they attempted to doctor the ball with sandpaper, will prove tempting ammunition with which to bait them.

Given everything that has happened it might not have been too much to ask for the Australians to ditch talk of the so-called ‘line’ with which they attempted to police the global game before they so brazenly crossed it in Cape Town.

But Paine was at it again when asked about potential crowd abuse. “There is a line there [for the crowd] too,” he said without a hint of irony. “But that’s nothing we can control.”

With a new coach in Justin Langer and captain in Paine, Australia have promised to clean up their act, starting with this five-match series.

Tim Paine has promised to clean up Australia’s act (Getty Images)

Asked if he believed that would be the case, Morgan admitted: “I don’t know. You can speculate as much as you like but the proof is in the actions. We will only find out tomorrow.”

This is a much-changed Australia from the one beaten 4-1 at home by England in January. Former captain Steve Smith and David Warner, both banned for a year for their part in ‘Sandpaper-gate’, are the most glaring omissions.

Injured fast bowlers Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc are also missing.

Despite all the changes for Australia, there will be one fascinating rematch from last winter’s Ashes when off-spinner Nathan Lyon comes up against Moeen Ali.

Australia will be without Steve Smith for the series (Getty)

Lyon wasn’t considered for the 50-over series England won at the turn of the year. In fact, this will be his first ODI since August 2016, giving him the chance to once again torment a player he dismissed seven times in nine innings during Australia’s 4-0 Ashes win.

No wonder Moeen was defensive when reminded of Lyon’s hold over him on the eve of this one-day series.

“You don’t get medals for getting guys out all the time,” he said. “Who cares? I’m just moving on.

“When we played in the Ashes in England, he never got me out once and nobody said anything. Just get on with it. I found him difficult in Australia but one-day cricket is different. I’m in a different mindset to what I was then.”

Morgan confirmed Jos Buttler, rested for Sunday’s match against Scotland in Edinburgh, will replace Sam Billings in the XI defeated by the world’s No13-ranked nation.

Moeen Ali took a defensive stance when reminded of Lyon’s hold over him on the eve of this one-day series (Getty)

Moeen has been criticised for being caught on the boundary late in England’s chase of 372.

Indeed, if he had stayed in, his side almost certainly would have won.

“There is a lot of negativity around,” countered Moeen. “I feel like I got us back in the game. We were struggling big time. When they are going for six and you’re playing well, everyone is trying to big you up. Mis-hit one, get out, all the negative people come out.”

Moeen’s combative mood also saw him bite at questions over his fitness, an area Test captain Joe Root admits his team fell short on during a dire winter that saw five defeats from seven matches.

Indeed, Moeen denied he was dropped from the Test team at the end of the New Zealand tour partly over fitness issues.

Eoin Morgan will be looking to bounce back with England after their shock defeat by Scotland (Getty)

“No, not at all,” he said. “My fitness is alright – always decent, not great. Not the best, not the worst. I think cricket is a skill game anyway. There are worse than me in the squad.”

England will make changes to the bowling attack that was smashed all over Edinburgh by Scotland, with Mark Wood and David Willey likely to make way for Tom Curran and Jake Ball at The Oval.

With all-rounders Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes currently injured, Morgan hinted he may go for six bowlers, meaning Alex Hales would be dropped and Willey probably reprieved.

Asked if playing just five bowlers makes life more difficult, Moeen replied: “Yes, 100 per cent. I always feel in one-day cricket, you’re better off having six bowlers.”

England, ranked No1 in the world in ODIs, are rightly favourites for this series despite their embarrassment in Scotland last weekend.

Expect a strong response at The Oval, especially from a fired-up Moeen.