Steve Smith's blistering maiden Twenty20 international half-century was in vain as Ben Stokes held his nerve with an impressive final over to ensure England beat Australia by five runs in a thrilling one-off Twenty20 match in Cardiff.
New Test and one-day international skipper Smith, leading his country in the shortest format of the game in the absence of the injured Aaron Finch, made a rapid 90 from only 53 balls but Australia failed to finish off the job after he was dismissed in the penultimate over.
Captain Eoin Morgan had become England's leading T20 scorer during a brilliant innings of 74 from 39 balls in his first match since taking a month off, sharing an entertaining 135-run stand with the impressive Moeen Ali (72 not out) as the hosts made 182-5.
Smith then smashed four sixes and found the boundary a further seven times in a scintillating knock, but three wickets fell in the last over from Stokes as the tourists fell short on 177-8.
Australia - who were led by England head coach Trevor Bayliss in their previous T20 against South Africa back in November 2014 - must now aim to salvage pride following their Ashes defeat in a five-match one-day international series, which starts in Southampton on Thursday.
David Willey (2-34) had the dangerous David Warner (4) caught by Steve Finn in the first over and Shane Watson's miserable tour continued as he fell for only 8 - embarrassingly kicking the ball against his stumps.
Smith and Glenn Maxwell (44) then put on 112 for the third wicket, with the stand-in skipper taking centre stage with some powerful hitting and crisp timing.
However, Stokes took another stunning catch to get rid of Maxwell off the bowling of Moeen (1-3) and England were given hope when Mitchell Marsh (13) became debutant Reece Topley's first international victim.
After Smith fell to Willey, Australia were left needing 12 to win from the final over, but Matthew Wade and Pat Cummins were run out, while Nathan Coulter-Nile was also sent on his way as England claimed a dramatic win.
Morgan and Moeen had earlier put on a show following the early dismissals of Alex Hales and (3) and Jason Roy (11) to the hostile Cummins (2-25), which saw England slump to 18-2 after being put in to bat.
The England skipper surpassed Kevin Pietersen's England record for T20 runs in an outstanding knock, hitting seven sixes and receiving great support from Moeen in a partnership which proved to be decisive.