Australia Desperate For Rebound

Andy Flower will have been pleased to squeeze the win in the first Twenty20 meeting with Australia in Adelaide - but will have been less impressed with the manner in which it was achieved.

The visitors went from a position of dominance, as they were apparently cruising to victory, before having to rely on the last pair of newcomers Chris Woakes and benchwarmer Ajmal Shahzad to get them over the line.

There were, however, positive signs with Eoin Morgan getting straight back into the mix, as well as Michael Yardy showing his worth in the shorter format of the game.

England will be looking for an improved performance next up, especially from the top drawer ODI big-hitter Kevin Pietersen.

For Australia any win will do right now as they desperately look to take some form of momentum with them into next month’s ICC World Cup.

The clash at the Adelaide Oval had the air of a new beginning for Australia, with Cameron White taking over the leadership of the T20 side.

The hosts are a well rounded side mixed with youngsters in Aaron Finch and Steve O'Keefe, as well as experience in Brett Lee.

An interesting note is the psychological hold that was, for two decades, the property of the men from down under. England now seems to have a belief that they can win every match, while a once almighty Australia seems to display an aura of defeat.

Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Aaron Finch, 4 David Hussey, 5 Cameron White (capt), 6 Steven Smith, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Steve O'Keefe, 10 Brett Lee/James Pattinson, 11 Shaun Tait.

England (probable) 1 Ian Bell, 2 Steven Davies (wk), 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Paul Collingwood (capt), 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Luke Wright, 7 Michael Yardy, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Ajmal Shahzad, 11 Chris Tremlett.

Australia’s hard hitting top and middle order did well in the first clash, and are likely to remain unchanged at the MCG.

Rumours are if there is to be a change, it will come in the form of Brett Lee giving way to local boy James Pattinson knocking on the door.

One would imagine that with a record breaking winning streak that England will be looking to maintain their continuity and keep things as they are.

England’s top order will have to improve in this showing. While Morgan did well to pick off where he left off, the worrying statistics of Steve Davies and Luke Wright, who survived a combined total of four deliveries, tell a story of complacency.

The batsman to watch in this will be Shane Watson for Australia.

Watson is one of the few Aussie players who would stake a serious claim to be part of the England set-up in all forms of the game this summer- a reference you would never have thought possible only a season ago.

He was the star performer in Adelaide and almost won the game singlehandedly for the hosts. His half-century and four wickets eclipsed everyone else on the pitch, but he still ended up on the losing side.