ENGLAND'S cricketing summer of woe continued into a third format last night as Australia won the opening match in the Twenty20 series by 13 runs in Hobart.
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As the nation's seven-week long domestic competition reaches its climax, its first international of the summer witnessed plenty of big bashing, especially by a home side keen to build on 5-0 and 4-1victories in Test and one-day series.
Record-breaking partnerships and totals were the story of Australia's huge innings of 4-213 as Longford's George Bailey led his country in his home state for the first time in this format.
English batsmen have been among the biggest hitters in the Big Bash League, but most could not reproduce that form in national colours, Ravi Bopara the notable exception clubbing seven sixes in an unbeaten 65 which took England to 200 from the final delivery.
On a balmy night at Bellerive Oval, fireworks, trampolinists, breakdancers and jets of green flames were interrupted by outbreaks of international cricket featuring reverse sweep sixes, dismissals off no-balls and enough bombs into the vacant western stand to hasten its reconstruction.
Aaron Finch and Cameron White may be opposing BBL captains for Melbourne outfits but teamed up to produce both a century partnership and the perfect start to this three-match series.
Finch went first for a blistering 52 off 31 deliveries but White kicked on to 75, eventually falling lbw to Luke Wright after a 43-ball contribution featuring a neat six fours and four sixes.
Glenn Maxwell produced his usual big show, reverse sweeps accounting for 10 from consecutive Danny Briggs offerings, but also his own demise off Bopara for 20.