The win will not end talk of sandpaper in Australia, nor atone for the galling start to a failed Ashes campaign here 12 months ago. It did, at least, provide a distraction after a damaging week. England had appeared better prepared, while their hosts were fighting sandpaper-related trouble off the field. For all that, Australia appear to have found a gem.
England were bowled out for 131 in 33.4 overs on a Perth surface offering pace and bounce. They had been 68 for eight. Australia finished the chase with 26.3 overs remaining. Only twice before had they beaten England with so many balls to spare.
Captain Mitchell Marsh, who had repeatedly declined to answer questions about ball-tampering at his news conference on Thursday, struck a 29-ball fifty. Having spent the previous day stonewalling on sandpaper, he did not take the same approach in the run chase.
Beardman, 21 and already touching 90 mph, returned six for 24 from 7.4 overs in his first ODI, a new Australian record on debut. At times he exceeded 90 mph. He was player of the match.
The Western Australian, whose early career has been hampered by back injuries, is now front and centre. Australia were missing their three leading fast bowlers, and there was more than a touch of Cummins about the debutant who tormented England.
He used the life the pitch offered, threatening with both full balls and short ones and bowling an ideal line. Bowling accurately and at good pace, he produced the best figures by an Australian on ODI debut.
Beardman had Brook caught behind in his second over for his first international wicket. In fairness to Brook, it was a good ball. Cox then edged tentatively from the crease for two.
Curran's problems against the short ball were exposed when he top-edged a hook to fine leg off Beardman for a seven-ball duck.
Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody said batting in Perth with extra pace and bounce required batters to invest more at the start of an innings."England didn't make the assessment and make the adjustment to be productive,"he said.
Moody said there was a consistent theme through England's innings: batters pushing at length balls that bounced and moved away.
He also said the approach was no longer what it had been a year earlier, when the message was simply to go harder and, if bowled out, to go harder the next time.