England in Australia: Alex Hales & Mark Wood star in first T20
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First Twenty20 international, Perth |
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England 208-6 (20 overs): Hales 84, Buttler 68, Ellis 3-20 |
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Australia 200-9 (20 overs): Warner 73, M Marsh 36, Wood 3-34 |
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England won by eight runs |
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Scorecard |
Alex Hales whacked 84
off 51 balls as he spearheaded England's eight-run victory over Australia in
the first T20 international.
Hales put on 132 in just 11.2 overs with
skipper Jos Buttler (68) as the pair provided the bulk of the runs in England's
208-6, with Nathan Ellis (3-20) the standout bowler for the hosts.
David Warner clubbed 73 off 44 balls - with
support from Mitchell Marsh (36) and Marcus Stoinis (35) - to keep Australia in
the contest.
But when Warner was the sixth man out to Mark
Wood (3-34) with three overs left, it put too much pressure on Australia's
lower order in Perth and England closed out the game.
Australia needed 16 off the final over but Sam
Curran had Matthew Wade (21) caught at mid-wicket and then bowled Ellis for a
duck as the left-arm seamer kept his cool to finish with 2-35.
Buttler even felt he had enough runs to play
with to act with diplomacy with his handling of a potential controversial
incident late in Australia's attempts to chase a record T20 total against
England.
Wade seemed to impede Wood as he went for a
return catch in the 17th over after the Aussie batter top-edged the ball into
his helmet, but Buttler decline to appeal for obstructing the field.
England's batting dominance came with the
caveat that Australia's attack was shorn of its frontline bowlers as Mitchell
Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa did not feature.
Nevertheless, the manner in which Buttler's
bowlers held their nerve - and their catches at key times - to defend the total
as they looked to build momentum before the World Cup was impressive.
Wood, in particular, solidified his presence
as a key partnership breaker at crucial junctures in favourable batting
conditions while Curran executed his variations to show he is a viable
alternative to Chris Jordan at the death.
Hales seals his spot
England have these three T20s against Australia to settle a few
minor selection quibbles, one of which was who would open the batting at the
tournament with Buttler.
Phil Salt outscored Hales in England's seven-match series with
Pakistan (167 runs versus 130), but Hales' superior skill and experience on
Australian pitches appeared to make him favourite to partner Buttler.
Having shown glimpses of his top-order dominance in Karachi and
Lahore, this was Hales back in the kind of groove which has seen him plunder
runs in the Big Bash.
Early in his innings he was content to let Buttler take centre
stage, before going through the gears himself - a tall and imposing figure at
the crease, he used his long reach to good effect.
There was an element of fortune about a top-edged six pulled off
Marcus Stoinis in the seventh over, but a powerful lofted drive for another
maximum down the ground underlined the importance of his hitting range on big
grounds down under.
A second T20 century beckoned, before he slogged one into the
hands of Tim David at long-on off Kane Richardson. Hales threw his head back in
annoyance.
He had done enough, however, and barring injury, he now looks
nailed on to open with Buttler when England face Afghanistan in their opening
match of the World Cup on 22 October.
"This is an opportunity I didn't think I would get
again," Hales said, after being named player of the match.
"I am keen to make the most of it and I am hoping this is
just the start. I wasn't my most fluent for my first 12 balls but then it got easier.
"Playing in Australia (in the Big Bash) gives me confidence
I can take it to the next level in England."
Mixed fortunes for Buttler
and Stokes
Buttler averaged 17.16 in six T20 innings for England last
summer with a top score of 29, versus a career average of 32.75 before this
match.
Having been a non-playing captain in Pakistan, as he rested a
troublesome calf, this was a statement innings from the England skipper and a
reminder of his peerless talent.
Buttler set the tone by striking four fours from the opening
over, sent down by Cameron Green, showed his dexterity to twice ramp Kane
Richardson over the wicketkeeper's head, and then his wrists of steel to
effortlessly whip leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson for consecutive sixes.
He was out in the 12th over, slicing Nathan Ellis to mid-off,
but England's white-ball captain looks to have rediscovered his batting mojo
just at the right time.
The fluidity with which Buttler played contrasted with Stokes'
scratchy knock, as he was out for nine.
The England Test skipper, playing his first
T20 international since March 2021, was promoted to bat at three after a
rip-roaring start by Buttler and Hales but stymied the momentum a touch which
possibly threw the latter off his stride.
Stokes was dropped off his fourth ball - Kane
Richardson spilling a one-handed chance at mid-on after the England batter had
miscued a chip down the ground off Daniel Sams.
A sense of how Stokes was attempting to force
matters came next ball when he attempted a reverse sweep to a slower ball from
Sams and was struck on the helmet.
Stokes managed a four via a thick edge off his
eighth delivery before he was caught at long-on by Warner, having skipped down
the pitch to Marcus Stoinis.
