Malan inspires England as Australia fall short again

England’s stranglehold over Australia in the shortest format has continued with an eight-run victory in Canberra to clinch the Dettol T20I Series with a game to spare.

The visitors have now won six of their last seven T20 internationals against Australia, and while the hosts have their eyes firmly fixed on this month's World Cup defence, they will rue a chance to inflict some scars on England's powerful batting unit.

Australia rung the changes with the series on the line and seemed to be at full strength with Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc all recalled after being rested for the series opener.

Skipper Aaron Finch's return to the top of the order failed to provide anything of substance as he struggled for fluency in his run-a-ball 13 as Australia's pursuit of England's 7-178 at Manuka Oval got off to a faltering start.

Mitch Marsh again proved his importance to Australia's World Cup campaign with 29-ball 45, but he picked out deep square leg with six overs to go after getting his side's chase back on track.

That Australia was chasing such a hefty total was in part due to a sloppy fielding effort (a point acknowledged by Finch post-match), with left-handers Dawid Malan (82 off 49) and Moeen Ali (44 off 27) combining for a 92-run fifth-wicket stand as the visitors fought their way back from 4-54.

They were helped by four missed chances – three off the bat of Ali and one from Malan – the first of which would have left England 5-58 and with just bowling allrounder Sam Curran and the tail to come.

After being rested from the trip to Perth for the series opener, Australia deployed their first-choice bowling line-up with immediate dividends as they tightened the screws on England's powerful opening pair.

Jos Buttler and Alex Hales pummelled 21 off the first two overs in Perth on Sunday but after the England skipper smashed Josh Hazlewood's first ball of the match through cover for four, he and Pat Cummins – who shared the new ball duties instead of Mitchell Starc – kept them to eight off the first 12 deliveries.

And the Aussie Test skipper almost had Buttler in his first over before conceding a run with an lbw appeal initially given out before being overturned on review.

But he didn't have to wait too much longer for the first breakthrough as Buttler skied the first ball of his second over, with Adam Zampa eventually hanging onto a diving catch after misjudging the high ball at short third.

Image Id: 700024763F8D4F3381468DB85D961146 Image Caption: Adam Zampa hangs onto a difficult high-ball to remove Jos Buttler // Getty

It was only the third time in 54 T20 internationals that Starc hadn't bowled one of the first two overs, but it appeared a set plan from Australia's quicks to squeeze England's opener by bowling back-of-a-length at the body with the two right-armers.

Marcus Stoinis, in his second match back from injury, then underscored his all-round value to the Aussie side with a wicket from his first ball as Hales departed by offering a simple catch to David Warner at mid-off.

He picked up another from the first ball of his second over as Harry Brook edged behind to leave England 4-54 in the ninth over.

Zampa (2-26 from three) was terrific in his return to the side after skipping the trip west, deceiving Ben Stokes in his first over as he aimed a slog sweep into the Robert Menzies Stand.

Stoinis (3-34 off four) could have had another to put England in serious trouble but the sharp chance off the blade of Ali when one burst through Maxwell's hands at short point.

There was some concern for the hosts when Warner landed awkwardly at deep point as he misjudged a fierce square drive by Ali that went over his head for six, with the opener slamming his head on the Manuka Oval turf as he fell backwards.

Image Id: 7F02383C4CC645F59230944C3E3FC65C Image Caption: Warner lands awkwardly after an attempted catch on the boundary // Getty

He left the field immediately but returned to open the innings alongside Finch for the first time since the tour of Sri Lanka in June after passing a concussion test.

The was further pain for Australia when Tim David spilled a lofted off drive from Dawid Malan over the rope for six and Zampa gave Ali another life when he could only get fingertips on a caught and bowled chance, the fifth dropped catch of the innings.

The difference in the two sides fielding on the night was highlighted by Stokes' acrobatic effort on the long-off boundary that turned a certain Marsh six into a quickly run two.

Zampa broke the partnership with just over three overs to go as the Australia finally held onto Ali, but Malan carried on as he, Curran and fast bowler Chris Jordan all cleared the rope in the final three overs to lift the visitors to a competitive total.

In the chase, Australia's rekindled opening stand couldn't get the home side off a flying start as they have done many times previously as Finch – who appeared to be making a concerted effort to stay leg-side of the ball to counter left-armer David Willey's inswing – struggling for fluency as just 12 runs came for the first three overs.

Both departed in the space of four balls to leave Australia 2-22, which became 3-51 when Maxwell (8) picked out Hales at deep square leg off Curran.

Marsh kick-started the hosts chase, continuing his love affair with the No.3 spot as he blasted 13 from a Reece Topley over despite the wicket of Warner (4) a few balls earlier.

Stoinis joined in the counter-attack as the pair targeted leg-spinner Adil Rashid with several sweetly timed slog sweeps over the leg-side fence.

But just as the pair had got the chase back on track, an off-pace delivery from Curran brought Stoinis undone on 22 (11), and Marsh followed not long after as Australia slipped to 5-114 needing more than 10-an-over to reel in the total.

Tim David, who now appears to be the selectors preferred option to start the World Cup in the No.6 spot with Steve Smith again left out of the side, kept Australia in the game with a 23-ball 40 that again underlined his value for the World Cup.

But left-armer Curran, who delivered a clutch death over in the first T20I, again proved the difference, dismissing David with a perfectly delivered leg stump yorker just after he had dispatched Chris Jordan for 14 from the 17th over.

Curran finished with 3-25 as the 22 required runs proved too much for Matthew Wade and Cummins to get off the final over.

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