Cricket: White shines in Twenty20 wash-out

MANCHESTER - Cameron White shone for Australia on a dreary day at Old Trafford, where the Twenty20 match against England ended in a wash-out on today.

White scored 55 off 36 balls as Australia reached 4-145 from their 20 overs after losing the toss.

After claiming the wickets of openers Joe Denly and Ravi Bopara to put England at 2-4 after 1.1 overs in reply, the tourists were well on top, before the rain arrived and set in. White shared a 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket with captain Michael Clarke, who remained unbeaten on 27, with Adam Voges (11) the other not out batsman.

With the pitch offering little pace, England bowled well to restrict Australia's shot-making for much of the innings.

Stuart Broad, the destroyer of Australia's Ashes hopes with his devastating spell at The Oval just over a week ago, drew first blood for England.

The lanky paceman tempted Shane Watson (10) with a shorter ball as the batsman attempted to pull and sent a top edge flying high to Bopara at mid-wicket.

David Warner (33) could argue he was unlucky to be adjudged lbw to a ball from England captain Paul Collingwood which appeared on replay to have pitched just outside leg stump.

There was no doubt about David Hussey's dismissal, however.

Hussey scored 111 in Friday's one-day win over Scotland, but added no runs before charging down the pitch to a Collingwood delivery and missing the ball by some distance to be stumped by Matt Prior.

With Australia 3-70, White was let off when he hit James Anderson to Denly at backward point but the fielder, whose top score of 67 was instrumental in England's three-run win over Ireland in a one-dayer last week, dropped the catch.

White finally scored the first six of the match in the 16th over, pulling a ball from Stuart Broad into the stands to bring up Australia's 100.

White produced another six in the next over, lofting spinner Graeme Swann over the fence at long on.

He made it three from as many overs when he brought up his half century with a six off Ryan Sidebottom.

White was caught by Collingwood at extra cover off the bowling of Broad in the penultimate over.

Collingwood finished with 2-20 off four overs and Broad 2-33 off his four.

After rain delayed the start of England's innings, the tourists were off to a great start when Twenty20 international debutant Denly was out to a first-ball duck, caught at backward square off the bowling of Brett Lee in the first over.

Ravi Bopara, dropped from England's test team during the Ashes, hardly fared better, caught in the next over by first slip Shane Watson off Mitchell Johnson for one.

Lee finished with 1-3 off one over and Johnson 1-1 with a wide and one delivery.

- AAP