A TOP order shuffle could be on the cards during Australia’s one-day series against England following Travis Head’s century in the final warm-up game against Middlesex.

Australia cruised to a 101 run victory after the pace attack tore through the local batting order at Lords, with the four fast bowlers taking nine of the 10 wickets, the final six for just 43 runs.

It came after Australia compiled a serviceable 6-283, led by Head’s 106 of 140 balls after the South Australian opened the batting with D’Arcy Short as new coach Justin Langer continues his search to replace suspended star David Warner.

Aaron Finch, who has opened in 87 of his 88 ODIs, many of them with Warner, came in at number five and blasted a quick fire 54 off 52 balls and may not walk out at the top of the order when Australia takes on England at The Oval on Wednesday.

Head, who averages 58 opening the batting in one-day cricket for Australia, which he has done five times, said he definitely preferred coming in first, and conceded there could be a rotation policy during the five games against England.

“I’ve opened before, they are finding different combinations, giving guys a go,” he said after the win.

“If you are in form and getting runs you are going to stay where you are. We want guys winning cricket games and we have match winners throughout the order. So whatever order we go with, we have confident the guys can get the job done.

“In white ball cricket every batter in the dressing room is going to say they would bat as high as they can.

“It’s awesome to go out there against the new ball, only two fielders out and you get the best look at it.

“I’ve done both, and happy to do whatever it takes to keep playing cricket in the Australian team. I’ve just got to make sure I am playing well and whatever role I get I do it to the best of my ability.”

Marcus Stoinis, who made a century in the first game against Sussex batting at number three, will come back in for Wednesday’s clash, D’Arcy Short looked good in making 18 off 12 balls, and Shaun Marsh also made 49.

The only batsman to really fail was Glenn Maxwell, who was out for three, following on from making just one in the opening warm-up game against Sussex at Hove.

But he did make a big score in an intra-team hit out before that, and will be in the batting line-up, somewhere, in the opening game.

The modest Aussie total was hampered by a mid-innings slow down, and the tourists added just 87 between the 21st and 40th over.

Head conceded it was as area the team had to address if they wanted to keep pace with England, which sets its base mark at 300.

“They bowled quite well, and made it challenging. And I didn’t score as fast as I would have like, but I was able to stay out there, and build a partnership with Shaun (Marsh) and then Aaron (Finch) and push up the run are at the end,” Head said.

“We’ll find out pretty quickly what is a good score.”

The two scores so far, 277 at Hove 283 at Lords, have been better by an outstanding bowling performances, particularly at Lords.

In the absence of first-choice quicks, including Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, Head said Billy Stanlake, both Jhye and Kane Richardson and Michael Neser, who took nine wickets between them, had been “horrible” to face in the nets they were bowling so fast.

“It’s nasty facing them, all of them. We’ve got firepower which is nice, and we have the control on that side too,” Head said.

“If the guys can be consistent, sand their pace is up, it’s always a hard ask to face them.”

Australia will spend Monday and Tuesday training at the Oval before taking on the number one ranked team on Wednesday in a day/night affair.