MELBOURNE: Australia continued England’s miserable tour with an emphatic eight-wicket victory to claim the Twenty20 series with a match to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
England only posted 130 for nine after winning the toss and the home side coasted to victory with 5.1 overs left at 131 for two.
Skipper George Bailey clubbed an unbeaten 60 off just 28 balls with three sixes and seven fours, while opener Cameron White continued his magnificent series with 57 not out off 45 balls.
England will finish their troubled tour of Australia in Sydney on Sunday in the final dead rubber Twenty20 game after losing the Ashes 5-0 and the one-day series 4-1.
Fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood was named man-of-the-match with career-best Twenty20 figures of four for 30 in England’s innings, including two wickets with his last two balls.
“Australia outplayed us fantastically today [Friday],” said England skipper Stuart Broad. “They held the length pretty well and we didn’t react to that and the two needless run-outs hurt us in the middle which cost us getting a decent score.
“We need to get some momentum from somewhere. It’s been a long tour, it’s been a long 100 days in Australia and it would be nice to finish with a win.
“We have not [won] a series over here which is heart-breaking for Team England, but we can finish on a high before we fly two hours later.”
Bailey pays credit to Hazlewood, Muirhead
Australian captain Bailey said his side’s bowlers had set up the win.
Bailey paid credit to Hazlewood and also leg-spinner James Muirhead (one for 17 off 4 overs).
“James Muirhead bowled absolutely beautifully,” said Bailey.
White posted his second successive half-century in his first Twenty20 International series since October 2012 in a follow-up to his 75 in Wednesday’s opening T20 match in Hobart.
England won the toss and batted but struggled on a slow-paced pitch, with wicketkeeper Jos Buttler topscoring with 22 off 27 balls.
England lost four wickets in four overs when Hodge threw the stumps down from cover to beat the dive of Eoin Morgan (six). And then Glenn Maxwell at mid-wicket threw to the bowler’s end to run out Joe Root for 18 at 63 for five.
Muirhead enticed Ravi Bopara (six) to sweep a catch to the leg-side boundary, and Nathan Coulter-Nile trapped Buttler leg before wicket 96 for seven.
Muirhead and Starc (one for 19), in his first international game for the summer, were economical.
Tailenders Tim Bresnan (18) and Broad (18 not out) added a 34-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
Hazlewood bowled Bresnan and James Tredwell (0) with the last two deliveries of the innings.
Flower leaves England coaching role
Andy Flower has left his position as England head coach after their humiliating 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia, reported the British media on Friday.
The Zimbabwean, who had been in charge since 2009, found his position under increasing pressure after England suffered heavy defeats in the Test series.
According to the Daily Telegraph, new managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Paul Downton, told Flower on Thursday that he would be leaving his position.
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