Matchups key in new ball pairing: Starc

Australia's decision not to deploy Mitchell Starc with the new ball in last night's series-defining loss in the second Dettol T20I in Canberra came down to matchups as the reigning champions look to ensure they have a flexible bowling attack for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

It was just the third time in his 54-game T20 international career that Starc had not bowled one of the first two overs with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins preferred to try and counter England's aggressive opening pair of Jos Buttler and Alex Hales.

Opening with both right-armers initially paid dividends for skipper Aaron Finch with both batters dismissed inside the powerplay, but some sloppy fielding by Australia through the middle overs allowed England back into the game as Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali put them on course for an eight-run victory that clinched the series with a game to spare.

"We're just trying a few different things with that bowling distribution," Finch said after the match.

"Josh Hazlewood is as good as anyone in the world with the new ball so it's a nice luxury that we've got the three quicks that are world-class and can bowl anywhere."

Starc also revealed it was part of a plan make sure the whole attack was flexible and could play different roles if needed throughout the World Cup.

"(I was) given a bit of a different role more so across the board tonight to see that matchup with England," the left-armer said.

"Josh (Hazlewood) had the first against Jos (Buttler) and Hales so that could look the same when we play them later on in Melbourne (on October 28), or it could look very different again.

"We've got a great attack that can be flexible and play different roles at certain stages against different teams.

"So just another good hit-out to try something different tonight against a very strong team."

Starc has been one of Australia's most consistent white-ball performers in recent times, regularly taking wickets with the swinging new ball and at the death with fast, accurate yorkers.

But he said his role with the ball in T20s had changed from being a predominately new ball and death bowler to operating throughout the middle overs as well.

"Over the last few years it's probably changed from two in the powerplay and two at the death to one in the powerplay, two in the middle and one at the death and it's looked different at different stages in different conditions against different teams," he said.

"Between the five guys that normally bowl the majority (of overs), we can all play different roles against different matchups.

"That's a strength of ours – we didn't quite get it right on these two occasions (against England) but I think it leaves us in a good position for the World Cup having tried it now in competitive fixtures.

"Obviously we want to win these series and we want to win these games, but the big focus is the World Cup.

"It's disappointing to lose the series but the chat over the last period of time is about World Cup."

Men's Dettol T20I Series v England

Australia squad (first T20I): Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchel Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia squad (second and third T20Is): Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

First T20: England won by eight runs

Second T20: England won by eight runs

Third T20, Friday Oct 14: Manuka Oval, Canberra 7:10pm AEDT

Buy #AUSvENG T20 tickets here