England vs Australia 1st T20IEngland vs Australia (ENG vs AUS) 1st T20 Live Cricket Score Updates: Moving on from their series against West Indies and Pakistan, England face their toughest test of the summer so far, as the T20I series vs Australia begins in Southampton on Friday.
The hosts have fielded a stronger squad in this series than the recent series against Pakistan, with Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer making a return to the limited-overs team. For Australia this is their first international fixture post the coronavirus break and the Aaron Finch-led unit would look to begin on a positive note. The three T20I matches, which will be followed by three ODIs, pit the number one and two sides in the ICC world rankings against each other.
Adam Zampa, leg spinner, to bowl the 7th, as Finch finds it safe to bowl his spinners again. Agar went for 16 in the only over of spin so far. Does well to counter Buttler, sees him coming down the track and drops his length. Malan gets the one boundary in the over, driven through the covers. England get to 62/1 after 7. Agar brought back to bowl the 8th.
Kane Richardson the new bowler for Australia. David Malan the new man in for England. Gets off the mark with a four pulled off his hips. Malan, often guilty of getting off to slow starts, plays out a few dot balls to end the 5th over. Cummins bowls the last Powerplay over. Buttler keeps charging. Picks on the slower ball from Cummins and powers a drive for another four. Buttler on 41 off 23 balls at the end of the Powerplay. ENG 55/1 after 6
That's the first wicket. Pat Cummins strikes in his first over. With his last ball of the over. Bairstow, who survived a run out chance earlier in the over, is gone this time. He goes for 8 off 7 balls. Starc catches at short third man. Genius captaincy from Finch, says Nasser, as the Bairstow shot finds Starc - who is standing in an unusual position. ENG 43/1 after 4
Buttler times a couple of shots to perfection against Starc. 10 runs for him in the over. Bairstow, unusually for him, is playing the role of foil to Buttler as he gets cracking from the outset. England power on to 35/0 after 3 overs. Pat Cummins to bowl the 4th over. And Buttler continues his superb innings. Times another shot to perfection to get another four through the covers. The quickness of the outfield also helping him. Buttler on 34 off 17. ENG 41/0 after 3.4
Ashton Agar, left arm spinner, to bowl the 2nd over, as Australia also put in a spinner to bowl in the Powerplay. It doesn't pay off though. White ball Buttler roars to form! Walks out of his crease and lofts a six down the ground. A pull for four - one drop and over the ropes - later in the over. And the over ends with another six. Buttler has plundered 16 runs off the 2nd over! ENG 24/0 after 2
Starc begins with a wide. A wayward start. Nasser Hussain says the problem for Australia will be their lack of match practice. It's been six months since they played as a team. England, on the other hand, have been playing regularly over the past couple of months. Bairstow gets the first boundary of the day. Driven through the covers. ENG 8/0 after 1
England and Australia, stepping out to the field in coloured jerseys for the first time since the World Cup semifinal last year, are all set for this titanic clash. Bairstow and Buttler to open the innings for the home side. Mitchell Starc to bowl the first over.
England: 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: Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa
Australia have won the toss and have opted to field. England to bat first.
Hello and welcome to the first match of what promises to be a lip-smacking contest. England and Australia, both teams looking almost full-strength, though there is still no Ben Stokes, begin their limited-overs series today. Toss and team news at 10 pm IST.