Seamers Darren Gough and Jon Lewis teamed up to take seven wickets for eight runs in just 20 balls as England stunned Australia to win their first Twenty20 international by 100 runs on Monday.
The match was little more than a light-hearted romp before the serious business of the one-dayers and the Ashes series.
But Michael Vaughan's England side, egged on by the crowd at Southampton's Rose Bowl, were soon jumping into each others arms in sheer disbelief as Australia were bowled out in 14.3 overs.
One moment the world champions, chasing England's 179 for eight off their 20 overs, were 23 without loss in the third over. The next they were 31 for seven in the sixth.
The 29-year-old Lewis, uncapped in one-dayers or Tests, took four for 24 off four overs while Gough took three for 16 off three.
Three wickets fell in four balls, with Gough sparking the carnage. Adam Gilchrist had made 15 off 14 balls before a big slog across the line went straight up in the air and the ball was caught by Kevin Pietersen.
Next delivery, Matthew Hayden went for the pull and Pietersen, this time running back, made it two out of two.
Michael Clarke then followed for a golden duck, prodding forward and adjudged caught behind with Geraint Jones standing up to Lewis.
Moments later and man-of-the match Pietersen, who had earlier hammered a quickfire 34, had his third catch, snapping up Andrew Symonds.
Within minutes and the top five had gone for the addition of a single run as Mike Hussey edged a ball from the 34-year-old Gough and Andrew Flintoff, standing at second slip, pouched the chance.
GAME OVER
By the time Damien Martyn and Ricky Ponting had both gone to Lewis, one edging and the other driving to extra cover, the game was already over with only 5.5 overs gone.
"We were really up for it," Gough told Sky Sports after the match. "The Australians normally come at us hard from day one. To get one up on them was nice. It's 1-0 to England but it's a long summer."
Australia captain Ponting responded: "There wasn't much good stuff to come out of it for us. Our guys just weren't good enough today."
Earlier Pietersen hammered 34 off 19 balls, Marcus Trescothick made 41 and Paul Collingwood top-scored with 46 off 26 balls before going last ball of the innings to give Glenn McGrath his third wicket.
England had just one low, when Vaughan, in his first Twenty20 match at any level, went first ball to Symonds' spin.
"It's a bit of a lottery but we played some good cricket. Today was our day. I don't think it will have any impact on the five-day matches to come," Vaughan said.
England and Australia take part in a triangular one-day series also involving Bangladesh before meeting in three extra one-dayers and five Tests.
Scorecard:
England innings
M. Trescothick c Hussey b Symonds 41
G. Jones c Kasprowicz b McGrath 19
A. Flintoff c Symonds b Kasprowicz 6
K. Pietersen c Hayden b Clarke 34
M. Vaughanc Ponting b Symonds 0
P. Collingwood c Ponting b McGrath 46
A. Strauss b Gillespie 18
V.Solanki c Hussey b McGrath 9
J. Lewis not out 0
Extras (lb1, w3, nb2) 6
Total (8 wickets, 20 overs) 179
Did not bat: D.Gough, S.Harmison.
Fall of wicket: 1-28, 2-49, 3-100, 4-102, 5-109, 6-158, 7-175, 8-179
Bowling: Lee 3-0-31-0 (2nb, 1w), McGrath 4-0-31-3 (1w), Kasprowicz 3-0-28-1, Gillespie 4-0-49-1 (1w), Symonds 3-0-14-2, Clarke 3-0-25-1
Australia
A.Gilchrist c Pietersen b Gough 15
M.Hayden c Pietersen b Gough 6
A.Symonds c Pietersen b Lewis 0
M.Clarke c Jones b Lewis 0
M.Hussey c Flintoff b Gough 1
R.Ponting c Solanki b Lewis 0
D.Martyn c Trescothick b Lewis 4
B.Lee c Harmison b Collingwood 15
J.Gillespie c Trescothick b Collingwood 24
M.Kasprowicz not out 3
G.McGrath b Harmison 5
Extras (b1, lb2, w1, nb2) 6
Total (all out, 14.3 overs) 79
Fall of wicket: 1-23, 2-23, 3-23, 4-24, 5-24, 6-28, 7-31, 8-67, 9-72
Bowling: Gough 3-0-16-3 (1nb), Lewis 4-0-24-4, Harmison 2.3-0-13-1 (1nb), Flintoff 3-0-15-0 (1w), Collingwood 2-0-8-2
Result: England won by 100 runs
