Hales dropped on 5published at 1.2 overs

1.2 overs

Eng 16-0

A delightful way for Alex Hales with a thumping cover drive to the boundary from Kane Richardson's first ball but then he is dropped next ball in the gully by Glenn Maxwell.

Thomas Measures: Like this idea of a tri-series T20, but I think I have a better idea. Each summer we should have a 5 nations style T20 tournament involving England, Ireland, Netherlands and then the 2 touring teams of that summer. Could be played between tours.

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Umpire Gerard Abood is standing in his first international and he has donned a helmet just in case. He signals a wide and it's not the most alarming first over from Stanlake as Roy flicks the first boundary off his pads.

We've had some muscular local characters giving some kettle drums a heck of a whack on the outfield but here come Roy and Hales in their red and blue kits hoping to give the white ball the same treatment. But they will be up against big Billy Stanlake, with two slips in place. Let's see what transpires.

You wouldn't be putting much money on Sri Lanka at the moment would you? The 2014 winners and twice former finalists have not been having the best of times recently.

Here's former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, one of Darren Lehmann's assistants for the series. I bet these two could tell a few good tales over a cold one.

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This is an atmospheric shot, isn't it? In case you're wondering, it's Ashton Agar taking a catch in fielding practice before the floodlights kicked in.

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Stanlake is around 6ft 8ins and reminds me at first glance of a striker of recent vintage at Bognor Regis Town, who used to bumble about in largely unproductive fashion like Bambi on Ice. But Stanlake is not just tall, he is extremely accurate and genuinely fast, he was up at 150k's (93mph) at the SCG the other day.

However he's still a bit shorter than the 7ft 1 Pakistan left-armer Mohammad Irfan. A bit unfair to show a picture of Irfan alongside 5ft 5 former England batsman (and today's TMS summariser) James Taylor I suppose.

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I'm looking forward to seeing the beanpole Aussie paceman Billy Stanlake, who made such an impression in the first match, taking two wickets in his first over and finishing with 3-15 from his four overs in Australia's win against New Zealand at the SCG.

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England: Roy, Hales, Malan, Morgan, Buttler, Billings, Willey, Rashid, Jordan, T Curran, Wood.

Australia: Warner, Short, Lynn, Maxwell, Head, Stoinis, Carey, Agar, Tye, Richardson, Stanlake.

With Steve Smith rested for this series, stand-in skipper David Warner is one of only three survivors in the Australia team from that last meeting between the teams in 2015. The "big show" Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis are the other two Australians who played in Cardiff that day.

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The England XI features seven of the team that played in that 2015 match in Cardiff. The men no longer part of the set-up are the two tall fast bowlers Steve Finn and Reece Topley. Another missing player is Ben Stokes - and we all know why he's not playing.

England captain Eoin Morgan is unconcerned by losing the toss: "It doesn't bother me, the wicket looks beautiful so it should be an exciting game. Australia were impressive against New Zealand and will be tough to beat. We've gone with four seamers and one spinner with Rashid which is a bit of a different balance than usual but we feel the wicket won't be that conducive to spin."

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Australia captain David Warner: "The last game was similar to how this pitch will play. We've included Travis Head instead of Adam Zampa so we have more batting depth and I back our ability to chase."

Australia bring in batsman Travis Head for spinner Adam Zampa.

Their line-up is:

Warner (c), Short, Lynn, Maxwell, Head, Stoinis, Carey (wkt), Agar, Tye, Richardson, Stanlake

England include Tom Curran and Chris Jordan. Liam Plunkett is still missing with that hamstring injury so their line-up is:

Roy, Hales, Malan, Morgan (c), Buttler (wkt), Billings, Willey, Rashid, Jordan, T Curran, Wood.

Australia win the toss and choose to field first.

It doesn't go back as far as the first Test of 1877 but Australia have won seven of the 12 completed T20 matches between the old adversaries since the inaugural contest at Southampton in 2005 - when Andrew Strauss batted at seven and England made 179 before Darren Gough and Jon Lewis skittled out the Aussies for 100 less. Remember that Pietersen skunk-style hairdo?

Australia recorded a 3-0 home series whitewash in 2014 but England won the most recent meeting in Cardiff in 2015. Anyway back to the present day and we're almost ready for the toss.

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As always, we'd like to know your thoughts - as long as they do not contravene the guidelines. Be they on the climate change report, or, as we are in commuter central time, has anyone had a journey to work longer than the three hours it takes for a Twenty20 match? Or indeed any matters pertaining to today's proceedings, please send them in to #bbccricket, text 81111 or email @tms.co.uk