Josh Hazlewood claimed a career-best 4-30 as England set Australia a target of 131 to win Friday night’s second Twenty20 International at the MCG.
England won the toss and batted but struggled on a pitch that appeared a little slow-paced, with Jos Buttler top-scoring with 22 in a total of 9-130.
A crowd of more than 60,000 has attended the clash as Australia look to clinch the three-match series with victory in game two.
Opener Michael Lumb was out for 18 in the fourth over, caught at mid on, and Luke Wright fell for a duck in the following over after Brad Hodge took a blinder of a catch at cover.
Mitchell Starc held a difficult chance at third man to remove Alex Hales for 16 as Hazlewood claimed his second victim.
England lost four wickets in four overs when the 39-year-old Hodge thrust himself back into the spotlight by throwing the stumps down from cover to beat the dive of Eoin Morgan (six).
Australia’s fielding was again on show when Glenn Maxwell at mid-wicket threw to the bowler’s end to run out Joe Root for 18 at 5-63.
Young leggie James Muirhead enticed Ravi Bopara (six) to slog/sweep a catch to the leg-side boundary and Nathan Coulter-Nile trapped Buttler lbw at 7-96.
Muirhead (1-17) and Starc (1-19), in his first international game for the summer, were economical after offspinner Hodge was a surprise choice to open the bowling and conceded 10 from his one over.
Tailenders Tim Bresnan (18) and Stuart Broad (18 not out) added a valuable 34-run partnership for the eighth wicket to give England a competitive total.
Hazlewood bowled Bresnan and James Tredwell (duck) with the last two deliveries of the innings.