FIH World Cup 2010
Dates: 28 February - 13 March Venue: Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi
**Coverage: **Daily video highlights of all games at BBC Sport - Scores, Fixtures, News - Live Sport (Available to all users); reports on every England match
**England beat Australia 3-2 to secure their first win over the Kookaburras since 1985 and open their World Cup campaign in style in India.**Jamie Dwyer gave Australia the lead but set-piece expert Ashley Jackson soon levelled the Pool B match in Delhi.
James Tindall put England before half-time from a short corner variation.
Tindall followed up to score off a post and make it 3-1 and although Dwyer pulled one back, England held on thanks to a heroic defensive display.
Going into the game Australia had won 28 of the last 33 matches between the two sides, with five draws.
“I think it’s a measure of how much this team has progressed that we can play poorly and beat Australia”
England manager Andy Halliday
But England, whose most recent win over their Ashes rivals had come on grass in Melbourne in 1985, produced a superb rearguard action to sink the pre-tournament favourites.
The Kookaburras had 12 penalty corners but only scored once, while England netted twice from just three corners.
Manager Andy Halliday praised the efforts of Cannock goalkeeper James Fair and the penalty corner defence team, but admitted his side had been outplayed.
“It was a fantastic result but the performance could have been so much better,” said Halliday.
"I think it’s a measure of how much this team has progressed that we can play poorly and beat Australia.
“James Fair and the penalty corner defence were outstanding. We’ll certainly not get carried away just because we have won game one.”
England’s next match is on Tuesday against South Africa, who started their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 defeat by Spain.
Following reports of threats against the World Cup from terrorists, New Delhi’s Dhyan Chand Stadium was guarded by nearly 19,000 security personnel to protect players, officials and spectators within a three kilometre radius of the venue.
Paramilitary commandos and a bomb-disposal squad were part of the multiple security cordons inside and around the stadium.
England: Fair, Hawes, Mantell, Smith, Wilson, Jackson, Kirkham, Moore, Mackay, Middleton (capt), Tindall.
Substitutes: Alexander, Brogdon, Catlin, Clarke, Dixon.