Australia sealed a third series win over England today with an eight-wicket victory in the second T20 international.
In front of an audience in excess of 64,000 at the MCG, the hosts successfully chased a total of 131 inside fifteen overs.
"Give credit to Australia, they outplayed us,” said captain Stuart Broad.
“Maybe the wicket just stuck in a little today and we couldn't get going.
“We've done some great things with the bat but it's not clicked in these two games. But it's not just the batting, we didn't bowl well today.
“I imagine conditions in Sydney will be slightly different to Chittagong but we've have to get some momentum from somewhere.
“We’ve not won a series in Australia this winter, which is heartbreaking, but we have one more chance on Saturday, before we fly home two hours later.”
After winning the toss, Broad elected to bat first, and as was the case in Hobart in the first T20, Outlaws pair Hales and Lumb started well. Lumb in particular looked in good touch; claiming boundaries at ease, before hitting Hazelwood in the air to give Coulter-Nile an easy catch.
Luke Wright lasted two balls, driving the second excellently but the returning Brad Hodge proved his sharpness, diving low to take a wonderful catch inches off the ground.
Hales continued, before finding Mitchell Starc on the boundary, before a tight run-out sent Eoin Morgan back to the dugout. Joe Root was run out shortly after, leaving Jos Buttler and Ravi Bopara at the crease at 63-5.
The pair added 20, before Bopara was caught off Muirhead, and Coulter-Nile trapped Buttler.
Stuart Broad and time Bresnan attempted to recover, and pushed England past 100. Both found boundaries, before Bresnan attempted an audacious flick around the corner, only for the ball to elude his bat, hit his back leg and onto the stumps. Broad continued until the death, finishing unbeaten on 18, England 130-9.
Australia’s reply was swift, Cameron White and Aaron Finch moving steadily to 48-0 in five overs. With the first ball of the sixth, Bresnan trapped Finch LBW, and Tredwell accounted for Glenn Maxwell the following over.
From there, George Bailey and Cameron White didn’t look back. Finding gaps and boundaries at will, the pair swiftly took the sting out of the contest. Bailey concluded an excellent 32-ball 60 by hitting the winning runs off Tredwell, while White ended 57 not out.
With that, the hosts confirmed their third series victory with a match to play in Sydney over the weekend.