Broad bowled opener Aaron Finch (7) and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (31) and dismissed all rounder Shane Watson for a duck to finish with 3-31 from 10 overs.
Stokes removed opener Shaun March (36), George Bailey for the innings' top score of 56 and Glenn Maxwell for 22, severely denting Australia's batting effort and finishing with 3-43.
Tim Bresnan bowled returning captain Michael Clarke for 8 and Chris Jordan claimed the late wickets of James Faulkner for 27 and Nathan Coulter-Nile (15) with consecutive deliveries in the last over but was denied a hattrick by Xavier Doherty.
Bailey and Wade then put on 55 for the sixth wicket, lifting Australia to 167-6 in the 40th over. But disciplined late bowling helped England regain the upper hand and after Bailey was out, Australia lost four wicket for 48 runs.
The strained nature of Australia's batting performance called into question Clarke's decision to bat after winning the toss on what transpired to be a sluggish pitch at the Adelaide Oval.