• England beat Australia by eight runs in the first T20 international in Perth.
• Alex Hales scored 84 from 51 balls to lead England to their victory.
• Nathan Ellis (3-20) was the best bowler for the hosts, with Mark Wood taking 3-34.

Alex Hales scored 84 runs off of 51 balls to lead England to an eight-run victory over Australia in the first T20 international.

Alex Hales and captain Jos Buttler added 132 runs in just 11.2 overs, scoring the majority of England’s 208-6 total. Nathan Ellis (3-20) was the best bowler for the hosts.

With help from Mitchell Marsh (36) and Marcus Stoinis (35) and a score of 73 from 44 balls, David Warner kept Australia in the game.

However, it put too much pressure on Australia’s bottom order in Perth when Warner was the sixth man out to Mark Wood (3-34) with three overs remaining, and England ended the game.

Sam Curran, a left-arm seamer who held his composure to end with 2-35, had Matthew Wade (21), who Australia required off the penultimate over, caught at midwicket, and then bowled Ellis for a duck.

Buttler even believed he had enough runs to work with to handle a potentially contentious event diplomatically late in Australia’s bid to chase down a record T20 total against England.

In the 17th over, when the Australian batter top-edged the ball into his helmet, Wade seemed to block Wood as he attempted for a return catch, but Buttler chose not to raise the issue of obstruction of the field.

With the proviso that Australia’s attack was devoid of its frontline bowlers since Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa did not appear, England’s batting domination was unavoidable.

However, it was amazing how Buttler’s bowlers kept their composure and made crucial catches to defend the target as they sought to gain momentum before the World Cup.

In particular, Wood cemented his role as a crucial partnership breaker at critical points in favourable batting situations, while Curran performed his variations to demonstrate that he is a competitive Chris Jordan replacement towards the end.

Hales seals his spot

To resolve a few minor selection squabbles, like who would start the batting at the tournament with Buttler, England will play Australia in three T20 matches.

In England’s seven-match series with Pakistan, Phil Salt scored more runs (167 vs. 130), but Hales’ greater ability and experience on Australian wickets seemed to make him the front-runner to join Buttler.

This was Alex Hales back in the type of flow that has seen him score runs in the Big Bash, having showed hints of his top-order domination in Karachi and Lahore.

Being a towering and intimidating figure at the crease, he made effective use of his long reach early in his innings while happy to let Buttler take the spotlight.

A top-edged six by Stoinis in the seventh over had an element of luck to it, but a strong lofted drive for another maximum down the ground highlighted the significance of his striking range on large Australian grounds.

Before he slogged one into Tim David’s hands at long-on off Kane Richardson, a second T20 century beckoned. Hales scowled and flung his head back.

He had accomplished enough, though, and barring an injury, he appears certain to partner with Buttler when England plays Afghanistan on October 22 in their World Cup opener.

“This is an opportunity I didn’t think I would get again,” Hales said, after being named player of the match.

“I am keen to make the most of it and I am hoping this is just the start. I wasn’t my most fluent for my first 12 balls but then it got easier.

“Playing in Australia (in the Big Bash) gives me confidence I can take it to the next level in England.”

Mixed fortunes for Buttler and Stokes

In six T20 innings for England last summer, Buttler averaged 17.16, with a high score of 29, compared to a lifetime average of 32.75 before to this game.

This was the England captain’s statement innings and a reminder of his unmatched prowess after he was a non-playing captain in Pakistan due to a problematic calf.

Buttler established the tone by hitting four fours in the first over that Cameron Green sent down. He then displayed his finesse by ramping Kane Richardson twice over the wicketkeeper’s head before using his steely wrists to easily whip leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson for back-to-back sixes.

The skipper of England’s white-ball team seemed to have recovered his batting form just in time. He was dismissed in the 12th over after slicing Ellis to mid-off.

Stokes’ shaky performance in contrast to Buttler’s flowing style resulted in Stokes being dismissed for nine runs.

After Buttler and Hales got off to a flying start, the England Test captain, who was playing his first T20 match since March 2021, was elevated to bat at three. However, he slowed down the tempo a bit, which may have knocked the latter off his game.

The England batsman mishandled a chip down the ground from Daniel Sams, and Richardson dropped Stokes with the fourth ball of his delivery.