Fresh from a BBL stint with the Perth Scorchers, Willey opened the batting and unloaded on the Test offspinner with five consecutives sixes in Friday night's tour match at Manuka Oval.

But he couldn't get the elevation required off the final ball, slicing the PM's XI skipper through the covers for four.

"I had nothing to lose really so I just went out there with a bit of a free reign and cleared the ropes a few times," Willey said.

"It would have been nice to get the final one but, if you're hitting 34 off the over, you can't complain."

It was a stylish tune-up for England ahead of their tri-series against Australia and New Zealand, as they mowed down their modest target of 137 with eight wickets in hand and 44 balls to spare.

Willey was outstanding, blasting 79 off 36 balls with six sixes and six fours after earlier claiming 3-32 with the ball.

He put on 87 for the first wicket with James Vince in little more than six overs to take the game away from the hosts.

Willey's seventh attempt to clear the rope was his last when he was caught on the boundary by Sean Abbott off Mitchell Swepson's (2-33) bowling.

In Willey's 16 international T20s, he has never batted higher than seven and has come in as low as No.10.

Earlier, Peter Handscomb played a lone hand with 43 off 29 before England spinner Liam Dawson had him bowled, one of his three victims for 16 from four overs.

"Every opportunity you play an international match, you want to beat the opposition but, on a personal note, very nice to score some runs," Handscomb said.

"I've been feeling good out in the middle for a while so it's good to spend some time out there."

James Faulkner did nothing to improve his chances of a national recall, struggling for two from nine balls before being smashed for 20 runs off two overs.

The tourists' bowlers were in control for much of the PM's XI innings after Willey struck early, removing openers Nic Maddinson and Peter Nevill for eight and six respectively.