Sharp Australia keep England to 130

20 overs England 9 for 130 (Buttler 22, Hazlewood 4-30) v Australia
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	Eoin Morgan's run out was a key moment © Getty Images  Enlarge
Related Links Matches: Australia v England at Melbourne Series/Tournaments: England tour of Australia Teams: Australia | England

An inspired Australian fielding performance and four wickets to Josh Hazlewood restricted England to 9 for 130 in the second Twenty20 at the MCG. England need to win to keep the three-match series alive but the short history of T20 cricket is not on their side - six times before this Australia had kept their opponents to 130 or less in the first innings and every time they have chased down the target.

For a while it seemed England would not even reach that high a score; a 134-run partnership between Stuart Broad (18 not out) and Tim Bresnan rescued them from 7 for 96 in the 16th over. Hazlewood finished with 4 for 30 after he finished with two wickets from the last two balls of the innings, Bresnan bowled for 18 walking across his stumps and James Tredwell bowled for a golden duck next delivery.

Six batsmen reached double figures but the highest score was Jos Buttler's 22 as none of the batsmen managed to capitalise on their starts, and not a six was hit during the innings. In many case it was Australia's sharp fielding that caused England their problems and perhaps most surprisingly it was the 39-year-old Brad Hodge, playing his first international for nearly six years, who sparked things.

The most remarkable dismissal was that of Eoin Morgan, who was run out by a direct hit from Hodge despite the bat having been grounded in the crease before the stumps were broken. Joe Root's push to cover off the bowling of Glenn Maxwell was collected by Hodge and although his throw lacked some of the power he once had, it lost nothing in accuracy.

Morgan, who was on 6 at the time, dived full stretch in an attempt to make his ground at the wicketkeeper's end and his bat seemed to slide over the line before bouncing up and most of the bat was behind the crease but not grounded when the bails came off. The third umpire rightly ruled Morgan out; a reprieve after a batsman makes his ground then lifts off the ground only applies to the feet, not the bat.

Two overs later another run out hurt England just as much when Root, who was established at the crease on 18, was caught short trying for a second run when Maxwell's speed allowed him to rocket the ball to the bowler Cameron White, who whipped off the bails. At 5 for 63, England were in trouble, but more was to follow when Ravi Bopara slogged the impressive young legspinner James Muirhead to Maxwell at deep midwicket for 6.

None of England's batsmen managed to really find their rhythm and even Jos Buttler, who struck two fours and top scored with 22, was unable to bat on when he was lbw to an offcutter from Nathan Coulter-Nile in the 16th over. The batsman who looked most dangerous was the opener Michael Lumb, who picked up four boundaries during the first two overs of the match - the first over remarkably delivered by Hodge.

But on 18, Lumb skied a very high chance when he tried to clear long-on off Josh Hazlewood and was caught by Coulter-Nile at mid-on. England's shaky start continued in the next over when Hodge's first piece of sharp fielding had its effect; Luke Wright was out for a second-ball duck when his searing drive off Mitchell Starc was snapped up by Hodge at short cover.

The wickets just kept falling for England when Alex Hales also made a start - 16 off 13 balls - and then top-edged a high, swirling catch to third man and was well taken by Starc off the bowling of Hazlewood. By that stage, Australia's fielding looked good. It only got better.