Ultimately, the late collapse did not cost Australia as there were no fireworks from England.
Salt was reprieved by being caught off a no-ball first up but there was no such luck for Will Jacks as he picked out Short at fine leg in the next over.
Debutant Jordan Cox and Salt both fell before the end of the powerplay and when Zampa bowled Jacob Bethell, also making his international debut, England were struggling at 52-4.
Livingstone and Curran were happy to bide their time and try to rebuild but just as they started to accelerate, Sean Abbott had Curran caught at short fine leg.
Josh Hazlewood bowled Livingstone, who played well for his 37 from 27 balls, three deliveries later and from there England looked beaten.
The wily Zampa bowled Jamie Overton, on his T20I debut, leaving the England bowlers to try and rescue the situation for the second time in the match.
They took the game into the last over without ever threatening to overhaul Australia’s total.
England must hope a top seven, which included all three debutants and is missing skipper Jos Buttler, learn quickly against a top-class opponent to turn the series around.
Australia’s main concern will be over the fitness of fast bowler Xavier Bartlett, who pulled up with two balls left of his final over and must now be a doubt for the matches in Cardiff and Manchester.
