All the latest from the 2pm BST start at the Rose BowlGloucs v Northants game off over positive Covid testEmail Tim or tweet @TimdeLisle with your thoughts 5.47pm BST
The man of the match is clearly going to be Buttler, but two other players were excellent. Jofra Archer set the tone with a magnificent blend of accuracy, hostility and movement – for the first time in a year, he was the complete fast bowler. And Dawid Malan added yet another feather to his red T20 cap with a commanding 42 off 32 balls.
More from the north. “Any turn?” Anthony Bradley says, echoing my question. “Not sure if the lad got any turn on
boxing Day as I stayed at home with left-over mince pies. Unbelievably he had half a dozen mates to practise with. He is only 14 and they have done this three years on the bounce. The lot of them are utterly bonkers.” You’re not fooling us, Anthony – we can hear the pride in your voice. 5.43pm BST
England did their best to turn a cakewalk into a collapse, but Buttler stood firm. He finished with 77 off 54 balls, using the crease, working the singles, erupting only when he needed to, and timing his reverse sweeps beautifully. There was also a lovely cameo from Moeen Ali, 13 off only six balls. So
England won by six wickets, with seven balls to spare. Aaron Finch’s brave decision to give Adam Zampa the penultimate over went horribly wrong – he went for six, four, one, six, and the last over never happened. But spare a thought for the Aussies, who may still be jetlagged.