England lost the opening Twenty20 international in Hobart, Australia, yesterday after narrowly failing to chase down Australia’s massive 214-run target.
Australia were always in the box seat, with the tourists on 176-9 with an over left, but some prodigious late big hitting by Ravi Bopara got the tourists to within 13 runs of the target at the finish.
Bopara smashed seven sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 65 off 27 balls, but paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile bowled Australia to victory with four for 30 off his four overs.
Photo: AFP
Joe Root scored 32 off 24 balls and opener Alex Hales hit 22 off 12 balls for the beaten tourists, who have only won one one-day international on their hapless tour of Australia.
Australia claimed the Ashes Test series 5-0 and the one-day series 4-1, before the three-game Twenty20 series began.
“Ravi’s performance was a positive, but if you lose three wickets in the first six overs you rarely win,” England skipper Stuart Broad said. “We’ll reflect and consider changes, but I err on the side of consistency and back these players to come back strong in Melbourne.”
Cameron White was named man of the match for his 75 off 43 balls as Australia set England 214 to win.
England’s previous highest Twenty20 run chase was 181 against India in 2012 so their 200-9 was their highest score in the format.
White, recalled by Australia for the first time since 2012, smashed six fours and four sixes to set the platform for the hosts’ 213-4 after they won the toss.
White put on 106 with opening partner Aaron Finch (52 from 31) as Australia came out with all guns blazing.
“It’s a nice feeling to be back and it’s something I’ve worked hard for, to get the opportunity playing for Australia since I last played,” White said. “England are a dangerous side and they bat really deep in the order, and with the short boundaries here at Bellerive the game was never really won. Ravi batted really well.”
Finch hit three sixes and five fours as the pair reached a century partnership off 59 balls.
He was caught in the deep in the 11th over, while it took the most eventful over of the innings to claim White.
The over brought 18 runs off the bowling of Luke Wright and looked also to have claimed White’s wicket when he skied to Danny Briggs at fine-leg.
However a no-ball was called. The third umpire took several looks at the replays at Wright’s full toss to confirm it was above waist height and White survived.
However, White was dismissed leg before wicket before the over was completed and Australia were 134-2.
Glenn Maxwell (20 from 13) produced an astonishing reverse sweep for six off Briggs, but the shot proved to be his downfall when he was caught with the hosts on 157-3.
Australia could not sustain their early pace until, on debut, Chris Lynn cracked three sixes in his late cameo of 37 from 19. Dan Christian was 6 not out.
The second game in the three-match series is in Melbourne tomorrow.
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