Vaughan pleased by form in defeat!

Michael Vaughan found consolation in his own form and fitness after England's 77-run defeat to Australia in the Twenty20 international in Sydney.

In his first international in 13 months after knee surgery, the England skipper looked in good touch in his 27.

"I saw the ball quite nicely and hopefully I can take that kind of form into the one-day series," said Vaughan.

"I've felt good for a while. I wouldn't have made myself available if I didn't think I could get through."

Vaughan, who was with the England Academy throughout England's disastrous Ashes campaign, added: "Any game against Australia they're going to put you under pressure so it was a good test for me.


"It's going to be a real test of character over the next few weeks"

Michael Vaughan

"It's nice to get in the middle and play. You can have millions of nets but until you actually get in front of 40,000 people you never know how you're going to react."

Australia amassed 221-5 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a record for Twenty20 internationals, while England's batting misfired once again.

But Vaughan said England could still make a mark in the forthcoming one-day series, against the hosts and New Zealand.

"Sometimes you have to hold your hand up and say their batting was very impressive, very destructive and very powerful.

"You've got to respect the fact that Australia are a very powerful one-day team.

"We've struggled to gain any consistency over the past year and it's going to be a real test of character over the next few weeks.

"We have to learn from the mistakes we've made and develop a strategy in this series and see how far that takes us."

Aussie novice enjoys the big time!

Aussie newcomer Ben Hilfenhaus said he had enjoyed the limelight after helping the hosts thrash England in the Twenty20 international in Sydney.

The 23-year-old Tasmanian, playing with team-mates who were virtual strangers, took 2-16 with his outswingers.

And afterwards he said: "I only really knew Punter (captain Ricky Ponting) because he plays for Tazzie with me.

"I was a bit stuck in my shell in the corner but hopefully now I'll come out of my shell a bit. It was sensational."

Hilfenhaus is not in the squad for the Commonwealth Bank series against England and New Zealand.

But with neither Brett Lee nor Mitchell Johnson 100%, he could be drafted in.

The former bricklayer said: "It was definitely a very memorable experience for me, and very enjoyable as well.

"I enjoy playing this form of the game but it's best played when there's not a lot riding on it"

Ricky Ponting

"The nerves got to me a little bit at the start of my run-up but I just tried the best I could to execute my plans."

Hilfenhaus bowled Ian Bell with a low full toss and kept Paul Collingwood on a tight leash before having him caught at deep square leg.

He said: "I got a lot of congratulations from my team-mates. It's good to know I'm doing it in front of the selectors.

"The crowd was fantastic and created a wonderful atmosphere."

Ponting stressed the match had been more about entertaining the crowd than anything else.

He said: "We wanted to win and play as well as we could but it was just a bit of fun.

"I enjoy playing this form of the game but it's best played when there's not a lot riding on it."

Australia v England - Twenty20 international

Twenty20 international, Sydney: Australia 221-5 beat England 144-9 by 77 runs
Scorecard.
England conceded a record 221-5 before losing the Twenty20 international to Australia by a margin of 77 runs.

Adam Gilchrist (48) and Ricky Ponting (47) put on 69 from 29 balls before Andrew Symonds and Cameron White accelerated in the latter stages.

Australia plundered 14 sixes in all, another record in this format.

England collapsed to 78-6 before Jamie Dalrymple (32) and debutant wicket-keeper Paul Nixon (31) took them up to a total of 144-9.

Ponting won the toss for the floodlit match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia had completed their 5-0 Ashes whitewash, and had no hesitation in opting to bat first.

His reasoning was that sides batting first had won the bulk of matches in the domestic Twenty20 competition.

Australia were well and truly under way as early as the second over, Anderson being hit for three boundaries by Matthew Hayden.


Anderson did remove Hayden in his following over, but the fast-scoring mantle was picked up by Ponting and Gilchrist.

Sixes rained onto the stands - Gilchrist hit five on his own - and it did not help when Ponting, on 16, was dropped by Jon Lewis off Andrew Flintoff.

"Sometimes you have to hold your hand up and say their batting was very impressive, very destructive and very powerful"

Michael Vaughan

Finally, Panesar bowled Gilchrist off the inside edge and had Michael Hussey stumped.

Ponting was caught at fine leg off Paul Collingwood, Lewis making amends for his earlier miss, and Michael Clarke was run out cheaply.

There was a momentary lull before White and Symonds joined in the fun. Leg-spinning all-rounder White struck 40 from 20 balls and hit four sixes while Symonds smashed 39 from 22 balls.

England even had time to drop another catch in the final over, Kevin Pietersen shelling White at mid-wicket.

The difference in quality between England and Australia's fielding was highlighted when Pietersen was run out by a direct hit from third man by debutant Shane Harwood.


That came after Ed Joyce had fallen in the first over, and Flintoff in the second, both caught trying big shots before they had had a chance to settle.

And it was soon 54-4 when Michael Vaughan was lbw attempting a reverse sweep against Symonds.

Vaughan, in his first game for England since December 2005, had at least stroked four pleasing boundaries, including an eye-catching cover drive and a trademark swivel pull.

Nor did his troublesome knee appear to bother him unduly.

Ben Hilfenhaus, a 23-year-old Tasmanian and the other Aussie on debut, bowled some intelligent outswing in the middle overs, and finished with excellent figures of 2-16.

He had Collingwood caught at deep square leg and bowled Ian Bell with a low full toss.

With England long having effectively lost the match, a partnership of 49 between Nixon and Dalrymple averted the heaviest loss in Twenty20 internationals.

Leicestershire's Nixon, aged 36, finished not out and looks likely to secure the wicket-keeping berth for the one-day internationals.

England look for Twenty20 boost

Twenty20 international, Sydney: Australia v England
Match starts 0830 GMT Tuesday
England hope to use Tuesday's Twenty20 international against Australia in Sydney to draw a line under the Ashes and turn to one-day cricket.

England crushed Australia by 100 runs in their last Twenty20 encounter.

"Five Test matches in six weeks is mentally tiring but there is an excitement around the one-day series," Paul Collingwood told BBC Sport.

"The Twenty20 will help us switch back into one-day mode and we will hope to hit them hard like we did in 2005."

"It is all you have ever trained for, all you have ever worked for, to play international cricket

Paul Nixon"

Michael Vaughan's return as England captain adds spice to the one-off match, a precursor to the one-day series, which begins on Friday.

Vaughan has not played in an international since December 2005 but he insists he is fit after a lengthy battle with a knee problem.

"I'm not too worried about it with all the practice I've been doing," he said.

"I know it's not the same as a match situation but it certainly won't be a question of hiding myself in the field. I am able to field wherever I want."

The touring side may call up batsman Ed Joyce, seamer Jon Lewis and spinner Jamie Dalrymple, none of whom played in the Ashes series.

And wicket-keeper Paul Nixon, a star for Leicestershire in domestic Twenty20, is in line for an England debut aged 36.

"It was one of the best Christmas presents I've ever had," he said.

"It is all you have ever trained for, all you have ever worked for, to play international cricket, to represent your country."

"You still have that element of pride but it doesn't have that complete sense of seriousness about it

Andrew Symonds"

Australia are resting seamers Glenn McGrath and Stuart Clark and are likely to give a debut to youngster Ben Hilfenhaus.

The home side are approaching the match in relaxed fashion - they will again wear nicknames on the backs of their shirts.

And all-rounder Andrew Symonds said neither side should be too worried by the result.

"You still have that element of pride but it doesn't have that complete sense of seriousness about it," said Symonds.

"They're probably in a different place to us - we're pretty high on life and they're very disappointed.

"But a game like this is a bit of fun and you don't want to be stringing yourself up with your bootlaces if they were to get flogged again."

---

Australia squad (nicknames in brackets): R Ponting (capt; PUNTER), A Gilchrist (CHURCH), M Hayden (HAYDOS), M Hussey (HUSS), M Clarke (CLARKEY), A Symonds (ROY), C White (BEAR), B Hogg (GEORGE), N Bracken (ANDY G), M Johnson (NOTCH), B Lee (BINGA), B Hilfenhaus (HILFY).

England squad: M Vaughan (capt), J Anderson, I Bell, P Collingwood, J Dalrymple, A Flintoff, E Joyce, J Lewis, S Mahmood, P Nixon, M Panesar, K Pietersen, L Plunkett, C Read, A Strauss, C Tremlett.