Not even an astonishing five-wicket haul for part-time spinner Matt Short could prevent an unexpected captaincy debut for Travis Head ending in a huge anti-climax as England levelled their T20 international series in dramatic fashion at Cardiff.
Head, handed the leader's job after Mitch Marsh was ruled out with illness, boomed a brisk 31 as he led from the front and then watched the exciting Jake Fraser-McGurk crash his maiden international half-century on Friday evening.
But despite the Aussies amassing a formidable 6-193 at Sophia Gardens, his big day was then wrecked by a dazzling performance from Liam Livingstone, who smashed 87 in his 50th T20 international to ensure England won by three wickets with one over remaining.
Opening batter Short took 5-22 off his three overs but still couldn't prevent the hosts from earning the win that takes the three-match series to a decider in Manchester on Sunday.
"Unfortunately, no win but I was just trying to keep the ship rolling for Mitch and hopefully he'll get better and he'll be back," said Head, when asked if he had enjoyed being captain.
"You go with your gut, and the game plan. You try to do your best and it doesn't always work, but we had some really good positives throughout. Didn't get the win, but that's okay, and we move on to Manchester."
Head observed ruefully he "should have bowled Short earlier" after the man who'd taken just two wickets previously in internationals, took four in his last 13 balls when recalled in the 17th over.
Invited to bat after England again won the toss, Head enjoyed a typical 14-ball blitz, featuring a couple of sixes, before Fraser-McGurk, dropped for the first win in Southampton on Wednesday, entered the fray after the skipper's dismissal.
He hammered Sam Curran for three straight boundaries and later deposited two sixes as he went to his 50 off just 29 balls, only to get caught in the deep a couple of balls later off player-of-the-match Livingstone's (2-16) impressive spin.
Short, with another bright knock of 28 in a swift partnership of 52 alongside Head, and Josh Inglis, who made another valuable contribution of 42 off 26 balls, helped maintain some mid-innings momentum, before what Head described as an "exceptional" late unbeaten blast of 20 off nine balls from Aaron Hardie.
Head's "gut instinct" was to give Short an early spin with the ball and he was rewarded as the Ballarat batter wooed England's stand-in captain Phil Salt to hole out when on 39 off just 23 deliveries.
Two earlier wickets in three balls from Sean Abbott (2-37) had earlier given Australia the edge but a blistering fourth-wicket stand of 90 off just 47 balls between Livingstone and Barbadian-born 20-year-old Jacob Bethell, who treated key man Adam Zampa's spin with the contempt of youth, transformed the game.
Short was recalled, only to bring a glimmer of hope by bowling Bethell (44 off 24 balls) and dismissing Curran two balls later.
But Livingstone pummelled Short's spin in the decisive 19th over, hitting a fifth six and a four to guide England to within one run of victory with his 87 off 47 deliveries.
But Short then bowled him and had Brydon Carse caught at mid-on next ball, before Adil Rashid was relieved to finally scamper the winning single off the spinner's hat-trick ball.
Head admitted the absence of Marsh, injured pacer Xavier Bartlett and the rested Josh Hazlewood meant it was "all hands on deck" for the Australians as seam bowling allrounder Hardie (0-23 off two overs) and spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly (0-20 off two) came into the side.
Overnight scans revealed Bartlett had suffered a side strain at Southampton, and he won't play on Sunday, with Ben Dwarshuis joining the squad for the Old Trafford decider in which Hazlewood's excellence will be badly needed.
