A dashing century from Aaron Finch and a dropped catch by England’s Chris Woakes helped Australia post an imposing total of 9-342 in Saturday’s World Cup opener.

Finch top-scored with 135 at a packed-out MCG, but all of those runs came after Woakes put down a regulation chance in the first over.

The bumper crowd held its collective breath when Finch clipped his second delivery to Woakes at square leg.

The embarrassing error would have been painful enough for Woakes.

The next three hours would have been downright torturous, with Finch knuckling down and producing a mature knock in his maiden World Cup appearance.

Fellow Victorian Glenn Maxwell then smacked 66 runs from 40 balls as Australia scored 105 runs from the final 10 overs.

The home side fell two runs short of the record one-day international (ODI) score at the venue, 8-344 compiled by the World XI in the 2005 tsunami relief match.

The game finished with Steven Finn bagging a hat-trick, with Brad Haddin (31), Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson all unable to clear the rope in the final over.

Finch cracked three sixes, but the opener’s second ODI ton on his home deck was not about entertainment.

Australia raced to 0-51 after 37 balls, Finch and David Warner (22) feasting on anything short or full dished up by James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Finch was forced to change gears after a Broad-inspired comeback reduced the hosts to 3-70.

Broad was unable to complete a hat-trick after removing Warner and Shane Watson (0) with consecutive balls, but Woakes claimed the vital scalp of Steve Smith (5) soon after.

Finch and George Bailey went nine overs without a boundary, but their settling 146-run partnership was exactly what the situation called for.

Finch was almost run out on 123 in the 36th over, but survived thanks to a woeful return from James Taylor.

The 28-year-old was not so lucky the following over when he set off for a misplaced single, with England captain Eoin Morgan’s direct hit finding Finch well short of his ground.

Finch was furious with himself, but Maxwell pushed Australia’s total well beyond 300.

Warner and Bailey also benefited from fielding errors, but neither reprieve was anywhere near as costly as Woakes’ fumble.

The missed opportunities will leave Morgan with a sense of ‘what if?’, especially after opting to field first.

Stand-in skipper Bailey was pleasantly surprised by his counterpart’s decision.

“We were looking to bat, so very happy. Looks a great wicket,” Bailey said at the toss.

Bailey, who said on the eve of the match he was essentially resigned to being dropped for Michael Clarke next Saturday, scored 55.

As expected, Josh Hazlewood edged out Pat Cummins to claim the final spot in Australia’s XI.