Hales Helps England in Square Series

Chester-le-Street: Alex Hales scored a blistering 94 as England beat Australia by 27 runs to square their Twenty20 series 1-1.

Hales and his Nottinghamshire team-mate Michael Lumb (43) put on 111 for the first wicket to help propel England to 195-5, with Fawad Ahmed taking 3-25.

Opener David Warner's 52 off 43 balls kept Australia in contention well into their run chase.

But Jade Dernbach took three wickets as the tourists collapsed from 111-3 to finish well short on 168-9.

Australia, set 196 for victory, finished on 168 for nine with Jade Dernbach taking three wickets for 23 runs in his maximum permitted four overs.

David Warner top-scored for Australia with 53 but they were rarely up with the rate as seamer Jade Dernbach took three wickets for 23 runs in his maximum permitted four overs.

Earlier, England opener and man-of-the-match Alex Hales made 94 in a total of 195 for five, with leg-spinner and former Pakistani refugee Fawad Ahmed (three for 25) taking his first full international wickets for Australia.

Pakistan-born leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed, wicketless on debut at Southampton, took his first international wickets to finish with three for 25.

Hales, who made 99 in a T20 international against the West Indies last year, shared an opening stand of 111 with Michael Lumb (43).

Earlier, Australia captain George Bailey won the toss and elected to field.

England were unchanged. Australia made one change, with Nathan Coulter-Nile replacing fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood.

Teams:

England: Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Luke Wright, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (wk), Stuart Broad (Capt.), Steven Finn, Danny Briggs, Jade Dernbach

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, George Bailey (Capt.), Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Fawad Ahmed

Brief scores
England 195/5 (Hales 94, Lumb 43, Fawad Ahmed 3-25)
Australia 168/9 (Warner 53, Dernbach 3-23)
Result England won by 27 runs
MOM Alex Hales (England)

Scores	Upcoming	Results
Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan - 3rd ODI 3rd ODI - South Africa v Pakistan - December 22, 12:00 GMT 4th Test - Australia v India - December 26-30, 23:30 GMT 3rd T20I - West Indies v Bangladesh at St Vincent Bangladesh won by 80 runs 2nd ODI - South Africa v Pakistan at Cape Town Pakistan won by 81 runs

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