England lose to Australia in T20 World Cup warm-up

T20 World Cup warm-up, Dubai

Australia 162-6 (20 overs): Mooney 50 (30); Bell 2-29

England 129 (19.4 overs): Capsey 40 (34); McGrath 3-18

Australia won by 33 runs

Scorecard (external), external

England were convincingly beaten by defending champions Australia in their first T20 World Cup warm-up in Dubai.

Heather Knight's side started well in pursuit of 163 to win, but slumped from 90-2 to 105-8 in the space of five overs.

Alice Capsey top-scored with 40 from 34 balls but was the only England batter to pass 20 as they were bowled out for 129 in 19.4 overs, to lose by 33 runs.

The World Cup starts on Thursday with Bangladesh taking on tournament debutants Scotland, while England's first game is against Bangladesh on Saturday, 5 October.

Australia's 162-6 was set up by opener Beth Mooney's 50 from 30 balls while powerful all-rounders Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner added cameos of 31 and 21 respectively.

England's only frontline seamer Lauren Bell was the pick of the bowlers with 2-29, with a wicket apiece for Nat Sciver-Brunt and spinners Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean.

Openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge started positively by adding 30 in three overs before the former was dismissed by quick Darcie Brown for 17 and Wyatt-Hodge was bowled by spinner Sophie Molineux two overs later for seven.

Capsey struck five fours in her aggressive knock before she top-edged a reverse sweep off Molineux to spark the collapse, with the spinner finishing with 2-27 and McGrath taking 3-18 as England's middle order failed to keep up with the mounting run-rate.

In Sunday's other warm-up matches, India beat West Indies by 20 runs, and last year's finalists South Africa suffered an eight-wicket thrashing by New Zealand after being bowled out for just 92.

The tournament was scheduled to take place in Bangladesh but was moved to the United Arab Emirates at the end of August because of civil unrest in the country.