Jos star of show again for England

RECORD-BREAKING Jos Buttler was the star of the show again as England inflicted yet another defeat on Australia in the one-off Vitality IT20.

Buttler, pushed up to open at a sun-drenched and near sold-out Edgbaston, followed the brilliant match-winning century which completed England’s historic 5-0 one-day international whitewash of their Ashes rivals by this time hitting their fastest Twenty20 fifty.

He bettered Ravi Bopara’s 23-ball half-century, also against Australia in Hobart four years ago, by racing to his in 21 as England piled up 221 for five – their highest total in this format on home soil – before defying a lonehanded effort from Australia captain Aaron Finch (84) to close out a 28-run win.

Finch matched Buttler almost shot for shot, taking 27 balls for his 50, and hitting five sixes in 11 balls at one point as Moeen Ali bore the brunt but he could not quite haul his team back from 72 for five as Adil Rashid (three for 27) and then Chris Jordan (three for 42) enforced home advantage.

Australia’s short white-ball trip therefore finishes without an international success as England proved their masters for a sixth time in 14 days.

Buttler (61) wasted no time vindicating his promotion to the top of the order, for only the second time in his Twenty20 international career, by bagging six fours and five sixes with his unique blend of power and improvisation.

Morgan felt England’s total was somewhat above par, which he credited to their envious batting line-up continuing to take the attack to Australia’s bowlers.

He told Sky Sports: “With the bat we started outstandingly well. Jos and Jason Roy really did get us off to a flyer, expressing themselves and making the most of that new ball and good wicket.

“From there we managed to kick on. Sometimes when you get off to a good start and you’re 100 for none or one, sometimes you can fall short of getting 200, but we didn’t take the foot off the pedal.

“We bat quite deep so we stuck to our mantra of coming quite hard.

“When you’ve somebody like Jonny Bairstow at six and Moeen Ali at seven you can keep coming as hard as you can and it really did pay off today.

“I thought we got 15 or 20 over par and we needed them, Australia played really well and came back hard at us like we thought they would.

“Crucial wickets from the guys throughout the innings cost Australia in the end.”