Sydney" Quite pleased with his personal form but devastated by the team's loss, England cricket captain Eoin Morgan today blamed the defeat against Australia in the ODI tri-series opener on the top-order collapse triggered by pacer Mitchell Starc.

"We did well to get to 234 after the early wickets, 250 would have been better. Ultimately the early wickets cost us," Morgan said after the three-wicket loss here today. England managed to post a 235-run target for Australia riding primarily on Morgan's 121-run knock. The rest of the line-up found the going tough, especially against pacer Mitchell Starc, who returned figures of 4 for 42 in 8.5 overs.