Live Commentary: Australia vs. England - First T20 - as it happened

Good morning everyone. Another day, another format of international cricket. Australia have won the Test series and they also managed to beat England in the ODIs. It's time for the first Twenty20 international in Hobart. Can the tourists finally get the better of their rivals?

There has already been one match completed in Hobart today. England have retained the Women's Ashes thanks to a superb nine-wicket triumph over Australia in the first T20 international. Charlotte Edwards struck 92* for the tourists to lead her side to glory. Congratulations to the tourists.

The touring men should be confident today. It's been a miserable tour but this format is a completely different challenge. There is a lot of new players in this England squad, with the likes of Alex Hales, Luke Wright, and Michael Lumb considered specialists in the shorter game. They've also been impressing in the Big Bash this year.

AUSTRALIA WIN THE TOSS AND WILL BAT FIRST: Australian skipper George Bailey wins the toss and confirms that the hosts will bat first on a good pitch.

AUSTRALIA: Finch, White, Maxwell, Bailey, Lynn, Christian, Henriques, Wade, Coulter-Nile, Hazlewood, Muirhead

ENGLAND: Lumb, Hales, Wright, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara, Bresnan, Broad, Dernbach, Briggs

Plenty of changes for both sides as James Muirhead and Chris Lynn make their debuts for Australia. Having seen Lynn a couple of times in Australian, there's no doubt about how well he strikes the ball and he will be a threat in this format. Muirhead, a leg-spinner, could play a big role in England's run-chase.

The only surprise from England is that Ben Stokes has been left out. Has he been rested? Lumb, Hales and Wright lead the batting, with Ravi Bopara scheduled to come in at seven. T20 specialist Jade Dernbach is named in the team alongside spinner Danny Briggs.

Joe Root, Tim Bresnan and skipper Stuart Broad are the only three England players to have made an appearance in each format during this disappointing tour. A new-look England side will not be carrying the heavy load of loss after loss ahead of this game. It's time to deliver.

Broad at the toss: "We've played some really good T20 cricket over the past 18 months and we're excited to get going here in Hobart. We just need to do what we do well. We'd have probably had a bat first as well but I don't think it makes a huge difference."

"It looks like a high-scoring wicket and hopefully a few runs on the board will do the damage. There has been a great deal of energy about cricket this year, it's on the back page of papers and the players certainly feel that," Bailey tells Australia's Channel Nine.

Just like England, the hosts may do a lot of the damage with their top three. Finch has displayed his qualities in the ODIs and he'll open the batting with Cameron White, who has a long history of taking teams apart in T20s. Glenn Maxwell will be desperate to impress at three after an inconsistent ODI series.

It looks like a superb pitch in Hobart. I think we could be in for a very high-scoring game if Australia make a decent start to their innings. England's bowlers need to be on target immediately. Early wickets could be crucial.

The players are waiting on the boundary rope, which means the action is just a few moments away. Can England follow the women by claiming a victory in Hobart?

Here we go then. Everyone seems to be in their place at the Bellerive Oval. Finch and White open the batting. Broad will bowl the first over. Play!

White decides there's no time to waste as he lofts the first ball of the match over cover for three runs. There's a slip in place for Finch, who can be vulnerable when playing just outside off-stump. A block is followed by a chip into the leg-side for a single. Broad produces a beauty to nip one back past the inside edge late in the over. The seamer finishes with three dot balls. Decent start for the tourists.

It's Dernbach, rather than Bresnan, who takes the second over. Finch guides the first ball behind point for one. Broad does well to get a hand on the ball at mid-off to restrict White to a couple of runs. Dernbach follows the batsman when he attempts to give himself room to open up the off-side. Six! First boundary of the game for Australia as White hammers a shorter delivery over the square-leg rope. It's a big hit. Big enough for a replacement ball to be needed. Nine from Dernbach's first over.

Superb! Finch takes advantage of a full ball to launch Broad straight down the ground for six runs. The opener keeps a better delivery out before nudging a single into the leg-side. Drop! There's a slip in place for White, who should be out when he edges the ball to Root. However, a relatively simple chance is put down and White helps himself to two runs. A single makes it 10 off the over.

First bowling change of the game as Bresnan replaces Dernbach. The seamer begins his spell with a wide down the leg-side. White nudges a single to deep mid-wicket. Bresnan then finds a tighter line to prevent Finch from dragging the ball into the leg-side. Six! Finch brushes off a couple of failures by giving himself room again to launch six over mid-wicket. One more single added. White 15 Finch 16*

Shot! We've seen the power and now we're treated to the skillful Finch, who opens the face to steer the returning Dernbach past backward point for four. Finch adds another boundary with a chip over mid-wicket for four more. Six! Stunning. Dernbach is serving up treats for Finch as the opener fires six more straight down the ground. A single to cover follows three boundaries in a row. A decent slower delivery is worked behind square on the leg-side for another run.

White hurries a quick single to wide mid-off. Finch takes the hosts to 50 with another sharp run. White shuffles across his crease to rotate the strike again with a nudge into the leg-side. The singles continue to be picked up with a run to point. Excellent over from Bresnan. Just four runs conceded. 52 from the powerplay for Australia.

Broad makes a change immediately after the powerplay as Bopara is thrown the ball. The all-rounder begins with a full-toss on leg-stump, which Finch easily clips away for four runs. Morgan can only fumble the next ball at mid-off and Australia sneak a single. Six! White takes a step across his crease and uses his power to beat Lumb at deep-square as the ball clears the rope again. One slower ball is defended, before the next one is flicked off the pad for a single. Excellent start for the hosts. White 25* Finch 38

Another change for England as Danny Briggs is introduced to bowl the first over of spin. White chips the second ball to deep cover for one. Shots! Brilliant batting from Finch as he backs away to drill four runs past point, before lofting the next delivery over extra cover for four more. The strike is then handed to White, who plays a lovely reverse-sweep for four. England desperately need a wicket. A score of 200+ is definitely on.

Harsh call from the umpire. Bopara seems to bowl within the lines when he beats Finch with a slower ball but the umpire signals a wide. A single is then rushed to short third-man. Six! White gets himself in an awkward position but he still manages to strike the ball over mid-wicket for another six. The strike is rotated again thanks to a single. 50! Finch reaches his half-century from just 26 balls when he cuts two runs to deep point. Excellent batting on show.

Classy stuff from White as he gives himself enough space to hit Briggs over extra cover for four. A good delivery from Briggs still manages to be worked through square-leg for two. White adds an easy single to get off strike. England's spinner is punished for a wide just after Finch misses out with a sweep. Shot! White brings up the hundred with by beating Broad at short fine-leg to earn four more. 50! White joins his partner in reaching his half-century thanks to two to deep mid-wicket. Australia dominant in Hobart at the moment.

Broad addresses the current problem by bringing himself back into the attack. Finch picks up a single off the second ball. Oh, dear. It's not going England's way. White miscues an attempted launch over the rope but the ball drops short of Wright on the leg-side.

England finally make the breakthrough when Finch smashes the ball high up into the air, with Hales keeping his nerve at mid-wicket to take a good catch. Maxwell in next for the hosts.

Shot! Maxwell watches on from the non-striker's end as White opens the face to guide four runs through third-man. A single makes it seven off the over. White 56* Maxwell 0

White gets off strike at the beginning of a new over with a nudge to deep mid-wicket. Maxwell's intentions are clear when he attempts to reverse-sweep his first ball but a mistimed effort brings just one. Another two runs are added when White picks the gap on the leg-side again, before the strike is rotated with a single. Buttler takes a wide down the leg-side to keep it to six off the over.

Broad brings himself off and throws the ball to Wright, who is greeted with a massive six over mid-wicket from White. Wright responds by bowling much fuller but White still manages to beat the fielder at square-leg to collect four more. The opener continues to pile on the pressure by firing four through mid-wicket. Well, this is a strange one. Wright is punished for apparently bowling over waist-height, but it really doesn't look like a good decision. White spoons his shot to short fine-leg, where Briggs takes a catch. White is given a life. Should he be out? Strange scenes in Hobart. Everyone seems ready for the next ball but the umpires decide to ask their colleague to take a closer look. It still doesn't look like a no-ball on the replay but the original decision stands.

Wright was clearly upset by that decision a few moments ago but he'll be happy with the latest one! White shuffles across his crease to target another boundary on the leg-side but he's struck on the pad and the finger is raised. The opener departs for a superb 75. Bailey comes to the crease and gets off the mark with a single.

Bailey skips down the pitch to flick a single to short fine-leg. Shot! Maxwell hasn't seen much action so far but he introduces himself with a superb reverse-sweep for four. Six! Oh my word. We won't see a better shot in this series. Maxwell produces another reverse-sweep and there's a shade of Pietersen vs. Muralitharan as he clears the boundary. Stunning batting. Maxwell finds time late in the over to slog four more into the leg-side. 18 off the over. Briggs ends his four overs with figures of 0-53

Broad returns for his third over. Bailey pushes the seamer into the off-side for one. Maxwell is pushed back in his crease but he still manages to pick up a run with a thick inside edge. Bailey rotates the strike before Buttler is called into action to stop an inside edge from racing away. Broad only concedes four runs from the over. Excellent work by the skipper.

Broad has finished his four overs, which means he must turn to Bopara again. Important over.

Maxwell attempts another reverse-sweep but he fails to find the middle of the bat and Bresnan takes the easiest of catches. Big wicket from Bopara. Lynn, on debut, in next.

Lynn gets off the mark with a single to deep mid-wicket. Much better from Bopara as he follows a dot ball by conceding just one down the ground. Lynn can only add one more single. Just three runs off the over. Four overs left in the innings.

Six! Bresnan is back, but it's not a great start to the return. Lynn shows how well he can strike the ball with six runs straight down the ground. A single hands the strike back to Bailey, who slices a single to cover. Bresnan spots Lynn giving himself room but his reaction is to drift too wide outside off-stump. Lynn follows the extra with a single through mid-wicket. Bailey adds two more past point before earning a run to cover.

Superb from Buttler as he dives to his left to stop the ball when the returning Dernbach follows Bailey, who fails to prevent the ball from going through his legs. The hosts still manage to rush a bye. Six! Dernbach sends down two dot balls before Lynn decides enough is enough and launches a big six over mid-wicket. Poor from Dernbach as he delivers an above waist-height no-ball and watches the ball race away to the fine-leg rope. It looks like Lynn might be on his way when he hits the final ball into the air but Wright can't make up the ground. Just two overs remaining.

Lynn clubs a couple of runs down the ground at the start of the over. Six! Lynn is certainly impressing on debut as he hammers six more straight over Bresnan's head. A loft over cover hands the strike to Bailey, who reaches the rope for the first time with four through mid-wicket. One more run off the over brings up 200. Six balls left. Bailey 14* Lynn 26

Dernbach starts the final over with a slower ball and it's good enough to fool Bailey, who slices the ball into the air to give Bresnan an easy catch on the off-side. Dan Christian in next. Lynn on strike.

Lynn keeps the strike by adding two to long-on. A scoop over fine-leg only just beats Briggs in the circle but there's enough pace on the ball to bring four runs. Dernbach delivers a good yorker to concede just one off the next ball. Christian gets slightly lucky when a miscued flick only just evades Briggs to hand him four. Australia pick up two runs to mid-wicket off the final ball. Lynn 33* Christian 6*

ENGLAND NEED 214 TO WIN THE FIRST T20: Brilliant effort from the hosts. It's an excellent pitch at the Bellerive Oval and Australia took full advantage after winning the toss to post a very good total. England aren't out of this game but they'll have to play superbly well to claim the win.

White (75) and Finch (52) were the key man for Australia and England will need two of their top three to play similarly if they are to stand a chance today. Lynn impressed on debut with a classy 37* to take the hosts past 200.

England will be slightly disappointed with how they bowled. Broad impressed, but other members of the attack hit a normal length too often and they were punished. Australia will be desperate not to make the same mistake.

England's run-chase starts in just a few moments. They need a special innings from someone. Will it be Alex Hales? The Nottinghamshire ace is still ranked as the best batsman in international T20 attack. On a flat pitch, it could be a night for him to impress.

Broad's side have never chased 200 in T20 cricket. A good start is essential when attempting to bat at a run-rate above 10 an over. If the tourists get behind the rate early on, the task will be close to impossible.

Here we go then. England need 214 runs for a 1-0 lead. We could be in for a thrilling second chapter in Hobart. The tourists will break the record for highest ever T20I chase if they win today. Australia look set to open with spin. Maxwell with the ball. Hales on strike. Play!

Hales begins with a single to deep square-leg. Shot! Lumb, who often struggles against the spin, starts by driving confidently through extra cover for four runs. A fumble on the off-side later in the over offers an easy single. Hales takes advantage of some width to cut four through point to the rope. Good start for England.

Nathan Coulter-Nile takes the second over for the hosts. Lumb attack a wide delivery to beat Maxwell at point and collect four. The seamer responds well by beating the outside edge.

Vital early wicket for the hosts as Lumb strikes the ball straight to Lynn, who takes a simple catch at mid-off. Wright in next. England 200 runs short of their target.

Wright gets off strike thanks to a leg-bye. Shot! Hales picks the length well to pull the ball behind square for four runs. Even better from the opener, who splits the fielders on the off-side to drive four more. Excellent batting.

Josh Hazlewood begins his first over by seeing an optimistic lbw appeal quickly dismissed. The seamer then concedes an extra with a wide down the leg-side. Close! There's a slip in place for Wright, who flashes hard to get he ball over Finch for four runs. A single past backward point makes it six from the over.

Coulter-Nile is the next bowler to see an lbw appeal rejected. The ball probably struck Wright too high on the pad. Good decision. Hales skips down the pitch to drill four past wide mid-on and the outfield is quick enough to hand the opener four. Great timing on show a few moments later when Hales lofts four more over cover. A leg-bye allows Hales to steal the strike.

Another change from Bailey as seamer Moises Henriques is thrown the ball. Hales jogs to the non-striker's end to complete a leg-bye. Wright reaches the rope with a fine pull shot for four.

Big wicket! Another one of England's key players departs when Wright drags on as he attempts a heave into the leg-side. Root in next.

Root gets off the mark by pulling his second ball away for one.

What an over for Henriques! Hales shuffles across his crease but pays the ultimate price for missing the ball when he's trapped in front. Easy decision. England in trouble as Morgan comes to the crease for the start of the sixth over.

Excellent bowling from Hazlewood to back up Henriques. Root isn't offered anything loose early in the over and he can only pick up a single to third-man. Morgan keeps out the final two deliveries. Just one run from the sixth over. Brilliant from the hosts.

Maxwell returns to the attack for the seventh over. Root pushes a single to long-off. Shot! Morgan gets off the mark in style by drilling four runs through cover.

Huge moment in the game as England's best player departs. Morgan attempts to heave the ball into the leg-side but his short innings comes to an end when Maxwell skids one through to hit the stumps. Is another heavy defeat on the cards?

Jos Buttler comes to the crease. In truth, he has to win this match for the tourists. Four more added of Maxwell's over. James Muirhead looks set to come into the attack.

Australia's newest leg-spinner begins by conceding one to deep cover. Maxwell does superbly at short extra cover to block a firm drive from Buttler. Six! Great swing of the bat from Buttler to clear the rope at mid-wicket. Good catch in the crowd, too. Root takes the strike from his partner and earns two through cover. One more makes it 11 from Muirhead's first over.

Root pushes Maxwell down the ground to get off strike. Shot! Buttler gives himself some room but hits straight to pick up four runs. The latest of cuts brings a sharp single. An awful full-toss from Maxwell is lofted over mid-wicket for four by Root, who keeps the strike with a single off the final ball. England need 137 from 66 balls. Root 14* Buttler 15

Henriques returns for a second over. Six! If England are going to somehow win this match, these two must bat for most of the innings. Root displays excellent timing to fire a flat six over the square-leg rope. The Yorkshire batsman then takes advantage of a fuller ball to loft four more over mid-off before sneaking a single to point. Buttler picks up a couple with a firm drive through extra cover. One more makes it 14 from the over.

Christian is the next bowler to be introduced to the action. Wade attempts to react quick enough to run out Buttler, who was considering a single, but the wicketkeeper fails to hit the stumps with a throw through his legs. A run does arrive on the off-side for Buttler. Root miscues a lofted effort over mid-wicket for a single. Christian gets a hand on a firm drive but fails to stop Buttler from collecting a run. Close! Root takes the aerial route and just manages to beat Bailey at mid-wicket. The ball races away for a welcome boundary. England need 116 from 54 balls.

Are England's chances over? The returning Coulter-Nile makes the breakthrough when Buttler picks out Muirhead, who takes the catch at deep extra cover. England needed Buttler out there. Bopara in next.

Root drills a single before being treated to an extra run following an overthrow.

Australia are in complete control now as Root lofts the ball straight to Finch at long-off. Easy catch. Three wickets for Coulter-Nile. Bresnan is the new batsman.

Bopara pushes his first ball to long-off for one. Bresnan watches his first shot race straight to Maxwell at cover. Great over from Coulter-Nile.

Bailey once again turns to Muirhead, who sees a short ball pulled into the leg-side for one by Bopara. Bresnan rocks back in his crease to cut his first run to deep point. Bopara rotates the strike again by nudging one through mid-wicket. Muirhead is starting to settle down now as Bresnan picks up just one off a fuller ball. Seven off the over. Six singles and a wide.

Hazlewood returns for his second over. Bresnan clubs a run to long-on. Six! Bopara forces himself into action with a big six over mid-wicket. Coulter-Nile responds with a dot ball. Six! Bopara goes even bigger on this occasion to earn six more on the leg-side. Incredible power on display. A couple of singles makes it 15 off the over. 91 needed from 36 balls.

England pick up a couple of singles early in Muirhead's over. Lovely bowling from the young leg-spinner to deceive Bresnan, who gets his foot back just before an eager Wade whips the bails off. Bresnan cuts a run to deep cover. Bopara reacts well to collect two on the leg-side at the end of the over. Great stuff from Muirhead.

Henriques is back for a new spell. Six! Bresnan hands the strike to Bopara, who punishes a full-toss with six over mid-wicket. Wow. Bopara is determined to keep this match alive as he clears the ropes again with another clean strike into the leg-side. Henriques goes fuller to concede just one to long-off. Bresnan adds another run to cover. Bopara keeps the strike with a single off the final ball. England need 70 from 24. Bopara 34* Bresnan 9

Bopara misses out when he can only hit a full-toss from Muirhead into the leg-side for one. Bresnan drills a couple of runs straight back past the bowler.

It's a first international wicket for Muirhead as he beats a swinging Bresnan to hit the stumps. The spinner has been pretty impressive on debut.

Six! Not a bad way to start an innings from Broad as the England skipper slog-sweeps his first ball for six. A single into the leg-side hands the strike to Bopara, who earns one to long-on. Muirhead ends with figures of 1-34 from four overs.

Coulter-Nile comes back to bowl the 18th over. A good yorker is somehow nudged to long-on for one by Bopara. Broad backs away to give himself some room but he fails to get any bat on a good short ball. Six! Coulter-Nile sends down another short delivery and Broad is alert on this occasion to launch the ball over the mid-wicket boundary.

What a response from Coulter-Nile! The seamer delivers the perfect yorker to clip leg-stump and send Broad on his way. Dernbach in next.

Dernbach misses his first delivery and refuses a single off the final ball to make sure Bopara keeps the strike. England need 52 off the final two overs. Australia are on the brink of claiming another victory.

Bopara starts Christian's over with a single to deep square-leg. Shot! Dernbach backs away to give himself room and hammers fours runs straight down the ground. Close! Lynn makes a brilliant effort to take a catch in the deep diving forward but the ball drops short of him at mid-wicket. Bopara reaches the rope with a firm drive for four, before beating the fielders again to pull four more through mid-wicket.

Dernbach puts in a dive in an attempt to save himself but Finch reacts superbly at short fine-leg to run him out, with Wade whipping the bails off to complete the job. England are 38 runs short of their target with one over remaining.

Hazlewood is trusted to bowl the final over but he begins with five wides when he drifts down the leg-side. Bopara, standing outside off-stump, miscues a shot straight back to the bowler. 50! It's not going to matter but Bopara breaks a record in the final over. The Essex all-rounder records England's fastest half-century in T20 cricket with six over extra cover. His 50 arrives in just 23 balls. Six! Bopara turns down a single before launching six more over square-leg. Bopara does it again! He fires the fifth ball over the leg-side for another maximum. It's all too late for the tourists. Just one off the final ball.

AUSTRALIA WIN BY 13 RUNS! Bopara finishes on 65 not out to make the match look closer than it was, but Australia won't care. The hosts have been dominant today and they fully deserve to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Coulter-Nile leads the bowling figures with 4-31.

I mentioned before the second innings that England's start would be crucial and the early wickets they lost proved to be crucial in the end. Australia benefited from an excellent opening partnership. In truth, England were always a big step behind their rivals today.

Thanks for joining me today. Australia take a 1-0 lead in this three-match series. Make sure you join me on Friday at 8.00am (UK time) as the hosts look to wrap up the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Goodbye.