MOEEN Ali's second one-day international century helped England get off the mark at the World Cup with a comfortable 119-run win over Scotland in Christchurch.

The Worcestershire all-rounder ensured any jitters following Friday's Wellington humiliation against New Zealand were quickly eased as he cracked 128 from 107 balls and shared in a record opening stand of 172 with Ian Bell.

From there England were always in control of the potential banana-skin contest, even though they did not fully exploit the foundation laid by the openers in reaching 303-8.

It was a target that proved beyond Scotland, still searching for a first World Cup win in their third visit to the tournament, as they were bowled out for 184 in 42.2 overs.

Steven Finn bounced back from his Brendon McCullum mauling - when his two overs against New Zealand cost 49 - by taking three for 26, while Moeen followed his century with figures of 2-47.

Kyle Coetzer top-scored with 71 for Scotland after Josh Davey took 4-68.

Eoin Morgan will also feel as though he has started to put his horror run of outs behind him after hitting 46 from 42 balls.

The captain had initially taken 10 balls to get off the mark as England lost direction around the batting powerplay, losing 3-2 at one stage, but found enough fluency to drag his team beyond a score of 300.

That had appeared the minimum standard when Moeen and Bell coasted to the England record opening partnership at a World Cup - beating the previous mark of 158 set by Dennis Amiss and Barry Wood in 1975.

Further records appeared ready to tumble as Moeen took on the aggressor's role and fittingly brought up his century, from 91 balls, when he clubbed his fourth six off spinner Majid Haq.

Bell had crept to his half-century only moments earlier, using only 11 balls less than Moeen needed for his ton.

But Moeen's exit in the 35th over prompted a stall as only Morgan, and Jos Buttler with a quickfire 24, were able to strike the ball with the same assurance as their left-handed opener.

Coetzer ensured England were kept honest, but when he and captain Preston Mommsen fell in successive overs, after a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Scotland's faint hopes were extinguished.

Moeen was the bowler to remove Coetzer when he lofted straight to Chris Woakes. Finn then induced a couple of edges, from Matthew Cross and Davey, before Woakes finished matters when Haq top-edged a pull to Gary Ballance at fine-leg.