BRING ME SUNSHINE; CRICKET TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL.

Byline: DEAN WILSON 

ENGLAND appeared to be saved by the rain after a rampaging Brett Lee was finally let off the leash eight weeks later than planned.

And with Mitchell Johnson, holding on to his own Ashes frustrations steaming in from the other end, England did not make the best start in dealing with the quickest opening bowling attack in world cricket.

They were reduced to 4-2 - chasing Australia's 145-4 - in just seven balls before the rain ended the evening's entertainment. But it was already enough to give Joe Denly and Ravi Bopara plenty to think about.

And with Dutch-Aussie Dirk Nannes, who also operates at over 90 miles an hour, to follow them up, England's top-order batsmen had better be prepared for a pace barrage over the next three weeks of Twenty20 and one-day cricket.

Lee only had six balls in which to release months of frustration, but it was enough to ruin Denly's Twenty20 debut as he fell for a golden duck - beaten by pace.

"That pace is something we are going to have to overcome," admitted captain Paul Collingwood. "The pace they've got in their side, with three 90-mile-an-hour-plus bowlers, is going to come very hard at us.

"On wickets with carry and bounce like that, we need to hope we don't lose too many wickets too early, but they will come at us all through this series.

"I'm sure Brett has got frustration to get out and he's looking very fit and bowling at a good pace as well, but I think we've got the batsmen to overcome that."

Lee missed out on playing any Ashes cricket owing to a side strain he suffered early in the tour.

Denly might have enjoyed a fairly unflustered one-day debut against Ireland's medium pacers on Thursday, but this was his first step up into the big leagues and, as he got into a tangle trying to hook Lee, he will understand what international cricket is all about.

As bad as he might be feeling at getting out first ball, Collingwood still had some encouraging words for the 23-year-old who will get another chance to show what he can do tomorrow.

Collingwood added: "In many ways I'm glad that he's got the belief and the confidence to go for a shot like that first up. That is a good sign.

"Obviously it didn't come off this time but that is the type of attitude and approach you do want from your Twenty20 cricketers that are opening the batting. You've got to try to take the bowlers on."

Clearly England do not feel they have been getting that kind of approach from their openers up until now since they've employed 13 different combinations at the top of the order in just 21 Twenty20s. England may have been able to claw their way back into the game after they had actually bowled pretty well after winning the toss and fielding first.

Seamers Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom all set the perfect tone, but it was Collingwood's dibbly dobbers that really helped peg back the Aussies.

His 2-20 was crucial and, if it was not for Cameron White's 55 from 36 balls, the Australians would have been short of a defendable score.

It probably will not do Denly any good to dwell on the fact that he dropped White on 12 at backward point, since it became academic.

Three sixes from White made a mockery of his omission from their World Twenty20 side in June when they crashed out at the first hurdle.

CAPTION(S):

GOLDEN DUCK Joe Denly puts up a skier off his first ball LEAPY LEE Brett performed a Morecambe & Wise routine after removing Joe Denly yesterday