Butts kicked JOS FAILS TO LIFT ENGLAND

WOEFUL England were bashed by the Aussies for the second time in a week to leave them struggling to reach the T20 Trans-Tasman Tri-Series Final. England limped to 137-7 in Melbourne and David Warner’s men knocked off the target with 33 balls to spare. Victory made it three out of three for Australia, who are assured of a place in the Auckland showpiece on February 21, leaving the tourists to scrap it out with New Zealand for the remaining spot. England, missing skipper Eoin Morgan due to a groin injury, lost Alex Hales, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan inside four overs. Stand-in captain Jos Buttler top-scored with 46 but he was well short of his usual swashbuckling self while Sam Billings made 29 at the MCG. In reply, Warner fell cheaply again but BATTLER: Groves fights Eubank Jnr on Saturday the efforts of D’Arcy Short (36 not out off 33 balls), Chris Lynn (31 off 19) and Glenn Maxwell (left, 39 off 33) meant the outcome was never in doubt.

Aaron Finch ended things in a rush with successive sixes off David Willey.

AKILA DANANJAYA claimed 5-24 on his debut to help Sri Lanka to a 215-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Test at Dhaka, clinching the series 1-0.

The off-spinner, 24, had match figures of 8-44. Slow left-armer Rangana Herath (4-49) took as Bangladesh were out for 123.

Keeper Heinrich Klaasen cracked an unbeaten 43 as South Africa beat India by five wickets on DLS in Johannesburg to keep their six-match ODI series alive. Shikhar Dhawan made 109 in India’s 289-7.