Nottinghamshire batsmen Alex Hales and Michael Lumb look set to open England's batting in the first T20 match against Australia tonight, in a side captained by Stuart Broad.
The pair go into the fixture having impressed both domestically and internationally in the shortest format, the highlight being their dismantling of New Zealand in Wellington in January.
With England set a target of 140 to win, the pair saw off the required runs in 12.4 overs, Hales smashing his way to 80 from just 42 deliveries and Lumb 54 from 34. The latter then sealed England's victory with a six that cleared the Cake Tin's stands.
In this summer's Friends Life t20 campaign, both batsmen had devastating innings to their names in Outlaws colours. Hales sealed qualification to the quarter-finals of the compeitition with an excellent 82 against Lancashire, and Michael Lumb's 96 against Durham has been hailed as one of the tournament's very finest innings.
The first of England's two match T20 series against Australia takes place at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton this evening, with play starting at 6.30pm.
England t20 squad to face Australia: Stuart Broad (capt), Ravi Bopara, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Michael Carberry, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Boyd Rankin, Joe Root, James Tredwell, Luke Wright.