Eoin Morgan back with a bang in Australia T20

Moeen Ali (72 not out) and fellow left-hander Morgan put on 135 in just 75 balls for the third wicket. They came together after England, sent into bat, had lost openers Alex Hales (three) and Jason Roy (11) in four balls from paceman Pat Cummins to be 18 for two in four overs.

But Australia then fought back well to keep England to under 200. Morgan’s innings was a vindication of the month’s break he had from cricket after being rested by Middlesex -- whose director of cricket, Angus Fraser, is also an England selector -- following a poor run of domestic form.

Hales played over the top of a fast and low full toss before Roy’s miscued drive was well caught by Nathan Coulter- Nile, running back from mid-off.

But Ali, with a cover-driven four off Mitchell Marsh plus <g data-gr-id="18">a</g> pulled six off Australia debutant Marcus Stoinis, got England going again.

Morgan then weighed in with a superb straight six off all-rounder Marsh that sent the ball soaring out of the ground and into the River Taff. Former Ireland international Morgan followed up by charging down the pitch to flat-bat medium-pacer Shane Watson for an extraordinary six over long-off.