First T20, Utilita Bowl, Southampton

Australia 179 (19.3 overs): Head 59 (23), Short 41 (26); Livingstone 3-22

England 151 (19.2 overs): Livingstone 37 (27); Abbott 3-28, Zampa 2-20

Australia won by 28 runs

Scorecard

A new-look England side slumped to a 28-run defeat by Australia in the first T20 international at Utilita Bowl.

Australia made a blistering start, with Travis Head smashing 59 from 23 balls as he and opening partner Matthew Short put on 86 in the first six overs.

But England, who handed T20 debuts to three players and were captained by Phil Salt for the first time, produced a superb fightback to bowl the tourists out for 179.

The spinners led the way, with Liam Livingstone taking 3-22 and Adil Rashid impressive for his 1-23, while seamers Jofra Archer and Saqib Mahmood claimed two wickets apiece.

However, England’s chase was in trouble early as three wickets went down in the powerplay.

Livingstone and Sam Curran gave them hope with a 54-run stand for the fifth wicket but when they departed in quick succession, England’s long tail was exposed and they were bowled out for 151 in the final over.

The teams will now head to Cardiff for the second T20 on Friday before the three-match series concludes at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Australia’s openers marmalised the England seamers early on, the home fans only cheering ironically when a delivery was not dispatched to the boundary.

Short started the onslaught with back-to-back towering sixes off Reece Topley before Head – who successfully reviewed after being given out caught behind – went one better with three in a row as he pummelled 30 off a Sam Curran over.

With long square boundaries at Southampton, England tried to bowl short but were punished time and again as Head raced to a 19-ball half-century – the fastest for Australia in T20s and the quickest against England in the format.

He fell to Mahmood from the last ball of the powerplay but Australia still appeared on for a monstrous total.

A much-changed England side turned to their most experienced bowler and Rashid delivered, bowling Mitchell Marsh in his first over.

Livingstone replaced Rashid as England clawed back control by bowling 10 straight overs of spin and the all-rounder had Short caught on the sweep off his second ball.

When Livingstone trapped Marcus Stoinis and Tim David lbw with back-to-back deliveries – both times on review – the hosts were right back in the game.

Josh Inglis kept Australia steady before he was bowled trying to reverse scoop Curran and it was left to Jofra Archer and Mahmood to mop up the tail.

Three yorkers in three balls brought three wickets, two for Archer and one for Mahmood – both of whom narrowly missed out on hat-tricks – and Adam Zampa was run out as the tourists failed to bat their overs.

Ultimately, the late collapse did not cost Australia as there were no fireworks from England.

Salt was reprieved by being caught off a no-ball first up but there was no such luck for Will Jacks as he picked out Short at fine leg in the next over.

Debutant Jordan Cox and Salt both fell before the end of the powerplay and when Zampa bowled Jacob Bethell, also making his international debut, for two, England were struggling at 52-4.

Livingstone and Curran were happy to bide their time and try to rebuild but just as they started to accelerate, Sean Abbott had Curran caught at short fine leg.

Josh Hazlewood bowled Livingstone, who played well for his 37 from 27 balls, three deliveries later and from there England looked beaten.

The ever-wily Zampa bowled Jamie Overton, on his T20I debut, leaving the England bowlers to try and rescue the situation for the second time in the match.

They took the game into the last over without ever threatening to overhaul Australia’s total.

England must hope a top seven, which included all three debutants and is missing skipper Jos Buttler, learn quickly against a top-class opponent to turn the series around.

Australia’s main concern will be over the fitness of fast bowler Xavier Bartlett, who pulled up with two balls left of his final over and must now be a doubt for the matches in Cardiff and Manchester.