England [162/7] fight back to defeat Australia [160/6] by 2 runs in the first T20I

[MenInG]

Australia return to international cricket after a gap of five months as they face England in the first of the three Twenty20 Internationals on Friday, 4 September.

Overview

England v Australia, 1st T20I
The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Friday, 4 September, 06:00pm local time, 05:00pm GMT

Pakistan's impressive performance in the final T20I earlier this week might have forced England to settle for a series draw but the hosts have been on a roll in the format last couple of years. Against their arch-rivals Australia, they will field a strong squad, bringing back Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler, who were rested against Pakistan.

The bowling attack looks solid with the inclusion of Mark Wood and Sam Curran. With Jason Roy still on the sidelines with an injury, 21-year-old Tom Banton, who put up an impressive showing against Pakistan, has a good chance of featuring in the playing XI.

If the intra-squad practice matches are anything to go by, a break of five months from international cricket has done nothing to diminish Australia's hunger to perform. The visitors have a problem of plenty. Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey all got hundreds in the practice games. Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Finch have looked good too and with the dangerous David Warner and Steve Smith the batting unit looks formidable. Both the pace and the spin attack look settled. They have also included the uncapped Riley Meredith in the squad. The 24-year-old fast bowler picked up two wickets, including the prized scalp of Steve Smith in the 50-over warm-up game.

Remember the last time

The two teams last faced each other in T20Is in a one-off encounter in June 2018, which England won by 28 runs after putting up a massive score of 221/5. They haven't met each other in the shortest format since but each team's current form puts them on even ground. Australia have won nine out of their last 11 T20Is and would be itching to get back on the international circuit after a long gap. England too have been doing well and have not lost a single T20I series out of their last six.


What they said

Mark Wood (England bowler): "It's always good when you play for England, don't get us wrong, but it is an extra incentive when you play Australia, when you play the biggest rivals. They are desperate to beat you, you're desperate to beat them. And it doesn't matter if it's the Ashes, white-ball, T20. Doesn't matter what it is, we'll be desperate to beat them."

Aaron Finch (Australia captain): "Having got to No.1 in the world in T20 cricket we want to stay there and keep improving on our game. We feel our game plan has been really solid for quite a while and we're really comfortable how that looks for various conditions and opponents."

 

[MenInG]

England will field close to their best team "for the first time this summer" in the opening Twenty20 against Australia, says captain Eoin Morgan.

The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the first of three Twenty20s on Friday.

Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Sam Curran return to the squad after missing the Pakistan T20 series because of their Test involvement.

"It means a huge amount. We're seeing the majority of our best team on the park and that's great," said Morgan.

"I don't think we have to go out and pick our best XI every series we play, because we can't put all our eggs in one basket."

The second T20 will be live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 13:50 BST on Sunday.

Australia are top of the International Cricket Council T20 rankings and England second.

The series will be followed by three one-day-internationals at Emirates Old Trafford from 11 September.

The T20 World Cup, due to start in Australia in October, was moved to India in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

England stars return to white-ball cricket
With Jason Roy missing because of a side strain, wicketkeeper Buttler will open the batting for England alongside Jonny Bairstow.

It means Tom Banton or Dawid Malan could miss out, despite both impressing in the drawn T20 series against Pakistan that finished on Tuesday.

All-rounder Ben Stokes, who missed the last two Tests and T20s against Pakistan to visit his ill father in New Zealand, is still missing, while Test captain Joe Root and all-rounder Chris Woakes are not part of the T20s but feature in the one-day squad.

England have been the fastest scoring team in T20 cricket since the 2016 World Cup, but have also been the most expensive with the ball.

T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. Reserves: Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood.

ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. Reserves: Joe Denly, Saqib Mahmood.

Australia, who have not played a competitive match since 13 March, arrived in the UK on 24 August and quarantined at Derby's County Ground before travelling to Southampton.

They have won nine of their past 11 matches and their past four series, and, in T20 captain Aaron Finch and David Warner, have the "best opening partnership in the world", according to coach Justin Langer.

Warner is Australia's highest T20 run-scorer with 2,207 at an average of 31.52 and strike-rate of 140.48, while Finch is second with 1,989 runs at an average of 38.25 and strike-rate of 155.87.

Marnus Labuschagne scored a 51-ball century in Australia's final intra-squad T20 warm-up game on Tuesday, but Finch said he "might have to wait a little bit longer" to make his T20 international debut.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell also made a hundred in a 50-over practice game. He has not played for Australia since October 2019 after taking a break for mental health reasons then suffering an elbow injury.

Pace bowler Riley Meredith, wicketkeeper Josh Philippe and all-rounder Daniel Sams, all of whom have impressed in the domestic Big Bash League, have yet to make their Australia debuts.

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/54010482

 

[MenInG]

England will wear black armbands this evening in memory of former Northants and England cricketer David Capel who sadly passed away earlier this week.

 

[sweep_shot]

Australia are favorites.

 

[MenInG]

Australia opt to bowl

England (Playing XI): Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler(w), Dawid Malan, Tom Banton, Eoin Morgan(c), Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid

Australia (Playing XI): Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa

 

[sweep_shot]

Australia are playing a full strength side.

 

[Rajdeep]

Why England is hosting all international matches only in Manchester and Southampton?

 

[Hasan123]

The best 2 T20 sides in the world. Should be a great series.

 

[Rajdeep]

Australia are playing a full strength side.

Expected after 6 months break. All players are eager to get back into the field.

 

[shah_1]

Best T20 batsman in the world is playing today : Warner

 

[BDfanforever]

Why can't we get a 60 fps streaming like we do when ESPN streams?

 

[sweep_shot]

8/0 after 1 over.

 

[sweep_shot]

The best 2 T20 sides in the world. Should be a great series.

England aren't playing full-strength side. Stokes is missing.

 

[shariqnoor]

Australia getting the Imad disease. Opening with a spinner in these conditions is suicide. And against Buttler??? Really?

 

[sweep_shot]

Explosive start from England. Agar is being taken to the cleaner.

 

[Rajdeep]

Wow...excellent hitting from Butler.

 

[sweep_shot]

16 from the over.

24/0 after 2 overs.

 

[castortroy]

Crazy England can bring someone in like Buttler

 

[castortroy]

Butler, Bairstow, Roy and Banton

These are England opening options

Ridiculous

 

[sweep_shot]

Aussies are still wearing that same jersey from last World Cup. They haven't changed the jersey yet.

 

[Rajdeep]

Butler, Bairstow, Roy and Banton

These are England opening options

Ridiculous

You forgot Alex Hales. On his day he is the most destructive one.

 

[BDfanforever]

Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Moen Ali all mediocre players.

 

[castortroy]

Butler looking ridiculous

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

Jos needs to improve his t20i record.He averages 26 in this format

 

[sweep_shot]

You forgot Alex Hales. On his day he is the most destructive one.

Hales got suspended right before the World Cup (some kind of offense). I don't think England will pick him anytime soon.

 

[sweep_shot]

35/0 after 3 overs.

I think England may cross 200 today.

 

[Hasan123]

But but Jos Buttler is a finisher. Buttler is capable of rebuilding an innings by playing proper cricketing shots and rotating strike. He is also showing and has shown in the IPL he can play as an opener.

World class player.

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

Although he is mediocre test batsman but he is absolute pleasure to watch in limited overs format

 

[castortroy]

Wow

 

[sweep_shot]

40/0 after 3.2 overs.

Current run rate is 12. Aussies are looking all at sea.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Buttler is the new Devilliers of cricket.

 

[castortroy]

Pak have Fakhar as our only pinch hitter. Even he is average in his hitting skills compared to these players

 

[shah_1]

Bowling will be the only reason England might not win the WC otherwise best batting side in the world

 

[Hasan123]

Buttler hitting bouandires at will is just a reminder it's not all about power and muscle.

It's about picking up length, timing, movement of body and wrists,hand eye coordination,shot range , and mostly importantly quality and talent

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

Jonny bairstow doesn't look in form.He should be dropped

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

This is gonna be a cracker of a series

 

[Hasan123]

Warner and Finch are going to do some damage here.

 

[Rana]

I swear Pakistan, England and Australia could have played a tri series? Would have been a great series!

 

[Hasan123]

Adam Zampa overs will be the key. Australia need him to pick up some wickets .

 

[Energy]

Logged into cricinfo to check on the game, and the headline is Jalaj replacing Harbhajan for Chennai so that's reassuring for the hopes of Chennai.

Anyway, Buttler has gained a lot of confidence from the test series against us so he's in top form. This England team is very strong on paper.

 

[shah_1]

Who is this commentator?

 

[castortroy]

Kp

 

[Mesozoic]

Butler would have wrecked havoc against Imad Wasim's darts had he played. As good as Banton and Bairstow are, Butler is just another level.

 

[sweep_shot]

65/2 after 8 overs.

England should cross 200. Pitch seems good for batting.

 

[Zeshan547]

Aussie have applied hydraulic brakes, this is take some doing vs this English batting.

 

[asadee]

England always struggle batting first

 

[Rajdeep]

Starc is massively over-rated.

 

[AAli98]

Starc is massively over-rated.

Yes only performs in world cups goes missing in bilaterals when it really matters!!

 

[Titan24]

And Moen goes

 

[shah_1]

Stokes will be handy at 6. No 6 is too high for Moeen Ali

 

[Titan24]

Field settings of Aussies and execution of their bowlers as per their fields is as good as it gets

 

[BDfanforever]

Morning the hack supposedly a "big wicket".

 

[Titan24]

Curran at 7, sorry is this Eng B team lineup? Cant imagine them having such a weak tail, yes Curran can bat a bit but, no way he is a number 7 batsman.

 

[Mesozoic]

Did he hit his wickets? Nope

 

[Titan24]

Maxwell with 14/2 in 3 overs.

 

[Mesozoic]

Curran at 7, sorry is this Eng B team lineup? Cant imagine them having such a weak tail, yes Curran can bat a bit but, no way he is a number 7 batsman.

This is England A or England lions I think.

The one against Pakistan was surely England B.

 

[Titan24]

Aussie spinners have bowled 10 overs for 71/4.

 

[Titan24]

This is England A or England lions I think.

The one against Pakistan was surely England B.

8 players are same that played against Pakistan.

 

[Mueez]

It feels nice to enjoy a match from a neutral perspective

 

[Mesozoic]

8 players are same that played against Pakistan.

Isn't that how things work here?

A couple of players missing === Team becomes "second choice".

 

[Titan24]

Archer playing his 2nd T20 International and Mark Wood’s economy is 9.67. People were acting like some legends are missing from Eng line when they were playing against Pak. What helps the narrative I guess.

 

[Savak]

Shows you how crap the Pakistani bowlers are. The Aussies have no problems in containing and keeping the English batsmen in check who were having no problems in smashing the Pakistani bowlers apart.

 

[Titan24]

Isn't that how things work here?

A couple of players missing === Team becomes "second choice".

Buttler and Stokes were the only two guys who were really missing.

If you are implying about Smith and Warner missing in test series vs Ind then bro you and I both know that how much of a difference 2 best players not playing in Test series makes especially for a lineup which had just one guy averaging over 40.

Again these things are not under anyone’s control so win is a win I guess.

 

[Mueez]

Fielding has been top notch from the Aussies!

 

[Titan24]

Fielding has been top notch from the Aussies!

True. Aussies fielding, field settings and their bowler’s execution by taking field into account rarely goes wrong.

 

[Titan24]

Bad day for Eng till now.

 

[MenInG]

 

[Mesozoic]

Archer playing his 2nd T20 International and Mark Wood’s economy is 9.67. People were acting like some legends are missing from Eng line when they were playing against Pak. What helps the narrative I guess.

Agree about wood (Willey is the better choice) but Archer made his int'l debut just last summer.

He was rested from the SAF T20s as he was overbowled in the Test series and had to miss the Pak series because of the bubble. He's miles better than the second best English T20 bowler (whoever that maybe).

 

[JaDed]

Shows you how crap the Pakistani bowlers are. The Aussies have no problems in containing and keeping the English batsmen in check who were having no problems in smashing the Pakistani bowlers apart.

Also to do with team planning, field setting

 

[Mueez]

True. Aussies fielding, field settings and their bowler’s execution by taking field into account rarely goes wrong.

Absolutely. They have ticked all the boxes.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they cruise their way to victory too.

Australia on song >>> England on song.

 

[Smudger]

Shows you how crap the Pakistani bowlers are. The Aussies have no problems in containing and keeping the English batsmen in check who were having no problems in smashing the Pakistani bowlers apart.

Why not wait for the whole series to be over. Pak bowled well in 1st t20 too. Same aussies were smashed for last time around in Aus

 

[Kroll]

When Buttler was in full flow, Pak usually would panic, make more mistakes and concede more than 200.

 

[Mueez]

When Buttler was in full flow, Pak usually would panic, make more mistakes and concede more than 200.

I agree. We always struggle when the going gets tough or it doesn’t go when it isn’t going as Pakistan has planned!

 

[Mesozoic]

Easy win for Aussies.

Don't see this game going beyond 19 overs.

 

[Titan24]

He was rested from the SAF T20s as he was overbowled in the Test series and had to miss the Pak series because of the bubble. He's miles better than the second best English T20 bowler (whoever that maybe).

Agreed. He is potentially the best all formats pacer England has produced in a while. He is still inexperienced at international level so so will learn with time. Needs to keep his attitude towards international cricket in check though.

 

[Kroll]

I agree. We always struggle when the going gets tough or it doesn’t go when it isn’t going as Pakistan has planned!

9/10 times, I don't think any of our players would have been able to take the catch Finch took, that was sheer determination.

Things like that helped Aus bring it back in, the catching, ground fielding and planning was excellent.

 

[Titan24]

When Buttler was in full flow, Pak usually would panic, make more mistakes and concede more than 200.

Totally. Pak struggles to maintain composure when they are getting attacked. There are countless examples throughout the decade or so. Quality is just one thing but the way the whole Pakistani team falls like the house of cards when getting attacked shows it has a lot to do with the nerves.

 

[Titan24]

Not sure of Stoinis is good enough just as a specialist batsman at no 5.

 

[Hasan123]

[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION], Archer will have a brilliant career but I cannot believe you said he could match the West Indies 70s/80s bowlers. You love to say Pakistan fans overhype Pakistan plauers but you lose the plot whenever a new England or India players shows promise and has a good performance.

 

[Hasan123]

Warner is brilliant.