DAVID WILLEY confessed a tinge of regret yesterday despite a day to remember in Canberra, having narrowly failed to flog Nathan Lyon for six sixes in an over.

The Yorkshire all-rounder dominated England’s T20 tri-series warm-up against an Australian Prime Minister’s XI, taking three wickets with his left-arm seam then smashing 79 in just 36 balls as the tourists sprinted to an eight-wicket victory with more than seven overs remaining.

Willey was on the verge of marking the occasion with something special when he launched Australia’s Ashes-winning spinner over the ropes five times in a row in his second over but, with anticipation building even among the home fans, he had to settle for a sweetly struck four through the covers from the final delivery.