Malan, Curran star as England clinch series win over Australia

England clinched a T20I series win over Australia with a game to spare with Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali’s innings-reviving partnership and Sam Curran’s three wickets propelling Jos Buttler’s side to an eight-run victory in game two.

England posted 178-7 at Manuka Oval in Canberra as top-scorer Malan (82 off 49 balls) and Moeen (44 off 27) resuscitated their side from 54-4 in the ninth over with a stand of 92 from 52 deliveries against a full-strength Australia bowling attack featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa.

Malan marked his 50th T20 international with a 31-ball half-century, his 14th in the format, before being dropped on 54, while Moeen punished Glenn Maxwell for shelling him on one at backward point.

Curran then bagged 3-25 in the chase, including the key wicket of the destructive Tim David (40 off 23) in a three-run 17th over, as Australia could only muster 170-6 in reply – Mitchell Marsh (45 off 29) top-scoring.

Australia needed 22 at the start of Curran’s final over and their hopes were raised when Cummins creamed the seamer for six over the leg-side first delivery but, just as in Sunday’s first T20 international in Perth, Curran completed the job as England earned successive eight-run wins.

England will look to complete a 3-0 series sweep in Canberra on Friday (9.10am UK time) before they play a final warm-up game against Pakistan on Monday ahead of their T20 World Cup opener versus Afghanistan on October 22.

Left-armer Curran flourished with the ball and England were also indebted to two left-handers with the bat in Malan and Moeen after the rest of their top six failed to fire; Buttler out for 17 from 13 balls after three early fours and Alex Hales (4), Stokes (7) and Harry Brook (4) all dismissed cheaply.

Hales – who top-scored for England in Perth with 84 from 51 balls – and Brook were caught off medium-pacer Marcus Stoinis (3-34), the same bowler who ended Malan’s elegant knock in the final over of the innings when substitute fielder Steve Smith pouched at wide long-on.

Stokes, meanwhile, suffered a second single-figure dismissal in a row, bowled on the slog-sweep by Zampa as the Australia leg-spinner rocked his middle stump with a flat, quick delivery.

Malan, Moeen revive England as Australia squander chances

With Buttler having been the first to depart – ballooning Cummins to short third in the fourth over after successfully overturning an lbw dismissal in the second – England found themselves four down before the halfway point of the innings after being inserted by Aaron Finch at the toss.

Malan and Moeen added impetus, though, with an excellent fifth-wicket partnership, although they were aided by Australian sloppiness in the field, with half-chances mixed in with opportunities that should have been taken.

Maxwell’s early drop of Moeen was followed b David – once again preferred to Smith in the home side’s XI – shelling Malan on 54 on the long-off boundary, David tipping the ball over the rope to gift Malan one of the four sixes he struck on the evening, to go with seven fours.

Smith was called upon in the field, however, replacing Warner for the latter stages of the innings after his team-mate landed on his head and back attempting to catch a Moeen six over deep point.

David atoned somewhat for grassing Malan when he caught Moeen off Zampa at wide long-on before Starc bowled Sam Curran (8) around his legs, Malan holed out off Stoinis and Chris Jordan (7no) smashed the final ball of the innings, bowled by Stoinis, for six over the leg-side.

Warner, Finch out early in failed Australia run chase

Warner’s tumble in the field left no lasting damage with the opener fit to bat after passing a concussion test but he lasted just 11 balls, slicing Reece Topley (1-35) to cover as he faltered after fifties in his last two innings.

Skipper Finch – back opening after featuring at No 3 or 4 in his previous three knocks – the returning Maxwell (8) and Stoinis (22 off 13) were also ousted by England left-armers; Finch caught off Willey at mid-off and Maxwell and Stoinis hauling Curran into the deep on the leg-side.

Marsh shared stands of 40 and 23 with Stoinis and David respectively but when Marsh whipped Stokes to Curran at deep square at the start of the 15th over to leave Australia five down and needing 65 from 35 balls, England seemed favourites.

David gave England some nervy moments before he was bowled by Curran, while Cummins hinted at a final-over turnaround when he boomed the same bowler into the stands – but Curran conceded only seven runs from that point as he once again pressed his claims to be in England’s first-choice T20 World Cup XI.

Jordan, the man whose place Curran could take, went for 39 from three overs in his first outing since overcoming a finger injury, while leg-spinner Adil Rashid’s four overs were taken for 38 – Rashid’s form potentially a slight concern for England ahead of the World Cup with the Yorkshireman also leaking runs during the recent tour of Pakistan.

Bairstow: A fantastic, well-rounded performance

England’s Jonny Bairstow, speaking to BT Sport...

“Fantastic. Any time you get a series win in Australia, it’s got to be celebrated.

“The boys were really calm, and that was one of the things that was outstanding in that performance.

“From the batting display and the calmness that Dawid [Malan] and Mo [Ali] showed to create that partnership and get us up to that score, all the way to the calmness and skill that Sammy [Curran] showed at the end to execute.

“I thought it was a well-rounded performance and they’ll be delighted.

“In the field, people throwing themselves around. We’ve won by eight runs and those eight runs come from those efforts from everyone.

“You end up winning by eight, rather than losing by one.”

Malan: I’m over the moon Finch: Sloppy fielding central to Australia defeat

Player of the match Dawid Malan speaking at the post-match presentation…

“I’m over the moon. It’s nice to score runs and contribute to a win.

“Knowledge of the grounds helps, but I didn’t have a great Big Bash to be honest.

“I’ve found my rhythm. Hopefully I can keep the runs coming.”

Australia skipper Aaron Finch speaking at the post-match presentation…

“We were really poor in the field, pretty sloppy.

“[Tim] David has been fantastic, his raw power has been fantastic.

“It depends on the opposition, but [this XI] is close. There’s debate about one or two spots.

“It’s a nice luxury to have three world-class quicks. We’re trying different things with bowling distribution.”

England skipper Jos Buttler speaking at the post-match presentation…

“It’s really satisfying. Dawid [Malan] has been really consistent and has done it against every attack around the world.

“Sam [Curran] wants to be in the thick of things at the important moments.

“We had to get Tim David out to win the game.”

England’s Moeen Ali speaking to BT Sport in Australia…

“We spoke about staying in the moment, Dawid [Malan] played superbly, it was a crucial partnership.

“We take a lot of confidence, it’s huge for our team with a lot of young players.

“We’re progressing in the right direction, Pakistan was big for us, winning two here, Jos [Buttler] coming back and in form.

“And Jonny [Bairstow], we’re missing him.”

What’s next?

The series concludes in Canberra on Friday (9.10am UK time). Follow the game live on Sky Sports’ digital platforms with our live text blog, which will be up and running from 8.45am.