Australia beat England by 13 runs in Hobart in the first of the three-match Twenty20 international series on Wednesday.
Openers Cameron White (75) and Aaron Finch (52) shared 106 inside 11 overs, with 11 fours and seven sixes as the hosts posted 213-4 after opting to bat.
Needing to equal their highest ever T20 total to win, England soon lost three wickets for seven runs in 13 balls.
Ravi Bopara struck seven sixes in an unbeaten 65 from 27 balls, the fastest England T20 fifty, in their 200-9.
Bopara’s thrilling innings was something of a microcosm of the one-day matches during England’s difficult tour – plenty of promise but ultimately unable to avert defeat in a 10th loss from 11 matches in all formats against the old enemy.
In an Australia side containing two debutants, only skipper George Bailey was part of the Ashes whitewash and just half a dozen featured in the one-day series which the hosts won 4-1.
