NICK HOWSON looks back at some of the key talking points after Eoin Morgan's men prevail by two runs in the opening T20 at The Ageas Bowl
Where Jos Buttler bats in England's T20 line-up hasn't always had the simplest of answers.
In a format that involves far greater nuance than many give it credit for, ensuring your best player faces the most number of balls possible is perhaps one of the simpler truths.
Not since England lifted the T20 World Cup in 2010, when Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan were the designated finishers, have they had a player capable of filling that role.
Buttler has often been deployed there - 43 of his 63 innings at this level have been at either No.5 or No.6. But there is nothing about his returns in those positions that suggest he was comfortable, or that England were making the most of his talent.
Jos Buttler looking in the mood! ๐ช#ENGvAUSpic.twitter.com/r5V3e1w7GS
โ The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) September 4, 2020
This was his ninth innings in a row in the top two. He has already scored more runs, faced more deliveries, struck more boundaries and possesses a greater strike-rate as an opener than at six, from half the number of innings.
Returning to The Ageas Bowl for the first time since his century against Pakistan to round off the Test series, Buttler was class personified. Australia bowled poorly first up - this is their first competitive cricket in nearly six months - but the Lancashire man punished length. Ashton Agar and Mitchell Starc will bowl better back-to-back overs.
All Buttler's suitability for the two two does is change the narrative regarding the make-up of the team and who occupies that 'finisher' position. The team already lacks balance in the absence of Ben Stokes and is clearly lacking an obvious candidate for what is a key position in any class outfit.
That, and finding a new-ball wicket-taker is among the priorities for Morgan over the next 13 months before the World Cup heads to India.
"No, not at all annoyed. We are very respectful."
That was the reaction from Cricket Australia upon confirmation from the ICC that the T20 World Cup they were scheduled to host in October and November has been postponed, not until next year, but to 2022. They will wait until India have had their go.
Having had to cut 40 jobs and cut their budget by $40 million amid a major restructure, there would be no disgrace in admitting their disappointment in a major cash-cow now being two years away.
There is an emotional blow for the playing squad too, even if they are too proud to admit it. This would have been a World Cup on home soil. An opportunity to break Australia's duck in this format, to inspire a new generation, add to the women's success earlier in the year and achieve something few have. Indeed, only Australia themselves in 2015 have won a home world title.
The tournament would have been the defining moment of Aaron Finch's captaincy, which has flown under the radar since the ball-tampering affair. It will now be front and centre over the next two years. Yet some of his teammates will now have to cling on for another 12 months.
Great effort by the Australia skipper ๐#ENGvAUSpic.twitter.com/Q1sAerVqsn
โ The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) September 4, 2020
Finch was bullish when asked about whether the change of venue for the 2021 showcase will rip up Australia's plans. He spoke with confidence about the adaptable structure Australia already have in place. His confidence was infectious.
And you can understand his conviction. In Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, supported by Glenn Maxwell, they have a spin trio to go to India and win. In this first T20, they bowled 21 dot balls between them, creating pressure and luring an England line-up which only plays one way.
The two wickets collected each by Agar and Maxwell were as much a tribute to there frugality as it was to those individual deliveries. They offered plenty of drift and took even more pace off the ball, allowing the likes of Eoin Morgan and Tom Banton to trip themselves up.
It was Chris de Burgh who wrote that 'Timing is Everything' and as far as Australia are concerned the sentiment could be about to ring true.
"At the moment they are the best opening combination in the world in T20 and one day cricket."
Marnus Labuschagne scored a magic century during the penultimate warm-up match. Marcus Stoinis scored a record-breaking number of runs in the last Big Bash League. Yet there is no temptation from Justin Langer to break-up his white-ball top three.
Australia haven't played a competitive cricket match for nearly six months. Forget those intra-squad matches in Southampton, they were merely watered-down tune-ups for these back-to-back series.
England, of course, are at the opposite end of the scale. While the Aussies are starting a daunting stretch of cricket, the hosts are coming to the end of an exhaustive summer.
๐ฅ HUUUUUUGE! ๐ฅ
โ Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 4, 2020
Finch smokes Rashid into the stands over wide long-on - and follows it up with back-to-back fours! ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ฆ๐บ
Australia flying as they chase 1๏ธโฃ6๏ธโฃ3๏ธโฃ to win 1st #ENGvAUS T20I ๐ด๐ก
๐บ Watch ๐ https://t.co/3V5xD5O02D
๐ฑ Blog ๐ https://t.co/vvSmYfQ5hZ pic.twitter.com/OKYh9acHFr
Yet, you would have trouble identifying which side were hot, are who have just emerged from hibernation. Australia have a classy XI but even their most ardent followers would have forgiven some ring rust. But from the outset this was a side performing in the mould of their coach: they didn't give an inch.
After an encouraging bowling display, if there was going to be any evidence of cobwebs it was likely to appear in during the chase. However, Aaron Finch and David Warner had other ideas.
At first, Finch used guts to find success. Rocking up to the south coast and being willing to take on Jofra Archer bowling 90mph+ under darkened skies and with the floodlight beaming takes fortitude, and in the mould of his predecessors, he showed ample character.
He earned his opportunity to take on Rashid and that duel produced the most glorious shot of the night, a drive which flew towards the concourse.
Partner Warner was less sure of himself and relied on his agility between the wickets. If anyone is paying for a padded-up race between him and a retired Usain Bolt then let me know.
Which T20 opening pair would you rather have?
โ Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) September 4, 2020
Watching Warner was reminiscent of his struggles at the start of the World Cup, when he played himself into form and grew into the tournament. Often, he capitalised on mistakes and used the pace of Archer to find success, rather that relying on technique and timing.
It was wonderful to watch two cricketers work out how to get the job done in different ways. When Finch eventually departed with the job virtually done both players were on 46, with similar strike-rates.
As England search for a way to solve their problems with taking new-ball wickets, they couldn't have asked for a more formidable opening pair to test themselves against.
Whether it had been in front of a packed-out 15,000 at The Ageas Bowl, or 100,000 at the MCG, there wouldn't have been a big enough crowd for the climax to this epic encounter.
England and Australia don't always produce pulsating, exciting cricket. Matches aren't necessarily close. But there is a reason why the nail-bitters are cherished. Headingley, Adelaide, Edgbaston, Headingley again.
It was truly remarkable how two sides coming off the back of entirely different build-ups could be so closely matched. Australia have not played a match since March. Some of England's players have been unbroken since early July. It is rather difficult to compute.
So aside from Buttler's brilliance, Zampa and Agar's skills, Warner and Finch's comfort and Tom Curran's temperament, which were all understandable and possible to analyse, it is the intangible and unexplainable dynamic which is impossible to fathom that is the reason we love this stupid game.
Australia would have won this clash nine times out of 10, 99 times out of 100. England probably prevailed by virtue of being slightly fresher. But who knows. Mother cricket often delivers these head-scratching moments whether it be on a Sunday afternoon, in your back garden or in one of sport's biggest rivalries.
Fans might be more important than ever, but in the circumstances, it is reassuring to know it can still rear its ugly head when many others can't show theirs.
For unrivalled coverage of the county season, subscribe to The Cricketer andย receive 3 issues for ยฃ5
Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just ยฃ1.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the worldโs oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.