Jos Buttler hit the fastest fifty by an England batsman in a Twenty20 international to lay the platform for a 28-run win over Australia at Edgbaston on Wednesday. Australia, set 222 for victory, lost half their wickets inside nine overs to be 72 for five. Aaron Finch, their captain, kept them in the match with a fine innings of 84 while sharing a sixth-wicket stand of 86 with Ashton Agar. But the run-rate required Finch to keep going for big hits and when he holed out off Adil Rashid, Australia were 158 for six in the 16th over. Leg-spinner Rashid, the official man-of-the-match, led England's attack with three for 27 in his maximum four overs before paceman Chris Jordan struck twice in two balls to leave Australia on the brink of defeat at 174 for eight.
Australia were bowled out for 193 with two balls to spare.
This latest reverse meant they had still to win an international match since Justin Langer became their coach after his fellow former Test batsman Darren Lehmann resigned in the fall-out from March's ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town.
Buttler, fresh from his man of the series heroics in a 5-0 one-day international sweep of Australia, including a match-winning 110 not out in a dramatic one-wicket victory in the series finale at Old Trafford on Sunday, was promoted to open in this one-off T20 clash.
'Off to a flier'
He responded with a 22-ball fifty, including six fours and four sixes, on his way to 61.
Alex Hales made 49 after Jason Roy (44) put on 95 for the first wicket with Buttler.
"Another fantastic performance," England captain Eoin Morgan told Sky Sports.
"With the bat, we started off outstandingly well, with Jos up to the top of the order for us -- he and Jason really did get us off to a flier, expressing themselves against that new ball.
"From there, we managed to kick on, didn't take our foot off the pedal," he added.
"With the likes of (Jonny) Bairstow coming in at No 6 and Moeen (Ali) at No 7, you can keep going hard. That really paid off today -- we got about 15-20 over par and we needed them, with Australia coming back hard at us with the bat."
Meanwhile, Finch said Australia's top-order collapse left them in an awkward position.