Nathan Lyon's limited overs aspirations have been dealt a blow after he was hammered for 34 runs in an over as England fired a warning shot to their Australasian rivals.
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Lyon's return to Canberra loomed as the perfect opportunity to relaunch his international white ball career, with his status as Australia's greatest off-spinner meaning little in the eyes of limited overs selectors.
But the fantasy quickly turned into a nightmare after England thrashed the Prime Minister's XI by eight wickets with 44 balls to spare in front of 8778 at Manuka Oval on Friday night.
Lyon (0-43 from two overs) was smashed to all parts in the sixth over of the run chase by England opener David Willey (79 from 36), who unloaded on the Test star to momentarily ease the pressure on Australia's selectors.
Lyon was one of Australia's best in their triumphant Ashes series against England earlier in the summer, but that seemed a lifetime ago as Willey went bananas in one crazy over.
Lyon watched his first ball of his over disappear into the crowd for six. The next ball disappeared as well. Then again. And again. And again. Five consecutive sixes had Lyon scratching his head.
But he did manage to save it from complete disaster, with Willey having to settle for a four off the final ball to settle for a remarkable 34-run over.
Lyon joked after the match the lack of spin meant he was effectively giving Willey "throwdowns" and laughed he would retire as captain after his one-over shocker.
The thrashing was a welcome sight for England skipper Eoin Morgan ahead of the Twenty20 tri-series against Australia and New Zealand, beginning between those two nations on Saturday.
Fresh off a stint with the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, Willey took 3-32 with the ball and then belted Lyon to continue England's rampant run in limited overs formats.
He put on 87 with James Vince for the first wicket inside seven overs and continued the onslaught until he was dismissed by Mitchell Swepson - but not after he hit four fours and six sixes.
It was a commanding all-round display from the visitors, dominating with the ball and proving even more destructive with the bat to send shivers down the spines of their rivals.
However discarded Australian batsman Peter Handscomb made some small amends for his mid-Ashes dumping, blasting seven boundaries in a sparkling 43 from 29 balls.
Handscomb played a lone hand for the hosts before he was knocked over by England tweaker Liam Dawson, who starred with 3-16 from his four overs as the Prime Minister's XI stumbled to 8-136.
Highlights were few and far between as the hosts could only scrounge a total considered well below par on a deck traditionally considered a batsman's paradise.
The pitch proved to be just that in the second dig.
The Prime Minister's XI boasted seven players with Australian honours but resistance from Lyon and his bowling cartel was fleeting.
The visitors had sprung a selection shock when uncapped 19-year-old Sam Curran was called into the XI to play alongside his older brother Tom.
The Surrey all-rounder is following the path paved by his brother and their father Kevin into international cricket - although their father wore a Zimbabwean cap.
But it was Willey that set the tempo, knocking over Prime Minister's XI openers Peter Nevill (six) and Nic Maddinson (eight) in the third over.
James Faulkner (two) followed soon after thanks to a spectacular catch by Sam Billings on the boundary in a display fitting for an English outfit enjoying a dominant run.
Australia's tri-series opener against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground offers one last chance for David Warner and his troops to find form before the English come knocking again.
