England lose sixth one-day international in Sydney by two wickets as Australia take 5-1 series lead

For all the longueurs of the past month, this tour has already gone down as a historic achievement by Andrew Strauss’ England. But Strauss and company have now created history for the wrong reasons as they failed to defend a total of 333 - the highest score they have ever made in defeat.

The Commonwealth Bank series has uncanny echoes of the summer of 2009, when a 6-1 defeat in the one-dayers made an anti-climactic postscript to England’s Ashes success. If their losing streak continues on Sunday, in the final match at the WACA, they will duplicate the scoreline this year.

On a sweltering night in Sydney, the match reached a breathless finish - and not just because the heat and humidity were so oppressive. In the final over of the match, Australian tailender John Hastings lined up a big drive at Chris Woakes, only for the ball to come flashing off his inside edge and down to the boundary for four runs that no fielding captain could possibly have blocked.

It was a cruel end for England, because that ball was probably only a quarter-inch from sneaking through and perhaps even bowling Hastings. There were already eight men out, and with only Shaun Tait left to do the job, Australia could perhaps have faltered on the final step. But England should have really closed the match out much earlier after Jonathan Trott had posted 137 - the second-highest individual score for an English batsman against Australia.

The aggregate of runs - 667 in the match - was the second-highest for any one-day international in Australia, and provided great entertainment for the crowd (even if only 19,479 turned out, leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground around half full). The ball kept flashing to the boundary all night, but it was probably the extra muscle behind Australia’s batsmen - who hit five sixes between them, as opposed to none for England - that made the difference.

If England have discovered a one-day star in this series, it must be Trott.

He would probably have started out as 12th man, had it not been for Paul Collingwood’s catastrophic loss of form. But he has now gathered 361 runs at an average of 72. At the present rate of progress, he is on track to become the fastest one-day batsman to 1000 runs, beating a record set by Viv Richards all the way back in 1980.

That “fastest” applies to the number of innings, not the rate of scoring. An accumulator rather than a dominator, Trott ticks along as quietly and invisibly as a personal pension plan. There were 64 singles in his innings, but only 39 dots - an impressively low ratio out of the 126 balls he faced.

But on such a sultry day, which Strauss described as “one of the hottest I have ever batted on”, flickering to and fro has its disadvantages. Trott was already cramping up in his 70s. Soon after completing his hundred, he had to call for a runner.

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke challenged the umpires on this point, perhaps recalling Strauss’ refusal to allow Graeme Smith a runner when he cramped up during the 2009 Champions Trophy. But the International Cricket Council changed their guidelines on this last year, so Trott was not only allowed to stop running, but could then return to field and bowl four overs during Australia’s innings. This was a useful bonus, as Collingwood was unavailable after suffering a back spasm.

Collingwood’s absence from England’s fielding effort was significant in all sorts of ways. First, it was another reminder that this seven-match series is stressing both sides beyond physical endurance. (Australia’s Steve Smith was another man to require a runner after tweaking a hip muscle.)

Second, it highlighted the danger of going into a match with no spare bowler - which is how England would line up in the World Cup if they persist in their strategy of using Collingwood at No 7. Third, it might well have cost England victory, as his bowling would probably have been more economical than the combined work of Trott and Kevin Pietersen, who conceded 72 from their 10 overs.

Mind you, Woakes clocked up 73 against his name, and James Anderson - usually Mr Reliable - had figures of 10-0-91-1, the second-worst in England’s history after Steve Harmison’s 10-0-97-0 against Sri Lanka.

Every one of Australia’s top seven batsmen made at least 20, including Mitchell Johnson, who was promoted to No 4 and bashed a lively 59.

Clarke all but carried Australia home with 82, his best innings of the whole summer, before he was run out in the penultimate over.

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Australia v England, sixth one-day international in pictures

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Australia v England - sixth one-day international: live

OVER 14: AUS 98/2 Ferguson 15* Johnson 7* Early shades of Johnson's heroics in the Perth Test as he unleashes over cover for four. We're unlikely to see a Trott, workman-like innings here (who by the way scored 64 singles in his 137).

OVER 13: AUS 92/2 Ferguson 14* Johnson 2* A tough task now for Australia as they chase their highest needed against England. The left-handed pinch-hitter will need a brisk 50 at best if they want to win this one.

Watson c Strauss b Yardy 51 AUS 87/2

A ripping catch from England's captain. Andrew Strauss stretches to his right at short mid-wicket and plucks a beauty off Yardy. Watson was looking to whip it through the leg where there was ample space but he's now back in the shed. In comes Mitchell Johnson!

OVER 12: AUS 87/1 Watson 51* Ferguson 11* Finn's bowling well here as they finally get themselves in tune with the pitch. Ferguson does give himself room to bludgeon his last for four.

OVER 11: AUS 81/1 Watson 50* Ferguson 6* First powerplay of the innings but Yardy's fast twirlers bring about three singles off it. Watson does bring up his fifty, off 32 balls, with a drive to long-on. Good stuff Watto.

OVER 10: AUS 78/1 Watson 49* Ferguson 4* Finn now replaces Anderson and a full ONE run off the over. That's 78 off the first 10 for Australia. Will England end up using eight bowlers like the hosts, do they have enough of them to bowl?

OVER 9: AUS 77/1 Watson 49* Ferguson 3* Michael Yardy replaces Finn and six off it. The heat must have got to the ABC crew as a burst of country and western replaces the smooth sounds of Jim Maxwell for a full over. No further dangers for the Australians.

OVER 8: AUS 71/1 Watson 46* Anderson at least stops the run of boundaries but Watson's carefree innings continues as Callum Ferguson enters the batting paradise.

WICKET! Haddin c Trott b Anderson 20 AUS 71/1

Haddin flicks one down the leg side and Trott catches emphatically. Haddin yet again fails to kick on from a start.

OVER 7: AUS 63/0 Watson 41* Haddin 17* One thing comes to mind, amid this cracking start from Australia. have Australia found a feared top-order combo for the World Cup? Eight more off Finn's over as Watson goes aerial, very aerial with one leg-side flick to the boundary.

OVER 6: AUS 55/0 Watson 35* Haddin 15* Despite the run-fest, still no sixes scored today at the SCG. Nevertheless, Watson throws the bat in Anderson's third over with four differing boundaries and a three for good measure. The highlights: a lifting cover drive and a lovely cut through cover. 19 off the over.

OVER 5: AUS 36/0 Watson 16* Haddin 15* Predictably, Steven Finn enters the fray after wayward Woakes's first two overs are flayed all over Sydney. The Middlesex paceman sends in a beauty second up, an outswinger that beats Haddin's outside edge.

OVER 4: AUS 32/0 Watson 16* Haddin 11* What you can do... Brad Haddin, on his home turf, dismisses Anderson with a well-timed cut first up as the runs continue to flow. Only 300 more for the Aussies.

OVER 3: AUS 25/0 Watson 16* Haddin 4* Woakes is getting a pasting here. Short and wide, Watson first picks up a leg slip four before pulling majestically for four through point on the sixth - possibly Woakes' last of this spell. James Tredwell and Luke Wright are on for Collingwood and Trott.

OVER 2: AUS 15/0 Watson 7* Haddin 3* The experience of James Anderson stops the early flow of runs on this flat track. Four leisurely singles ensue but more concern for England as Kevin Pietersen checks his hamstring. Oh well, at least he has nine days off at the end of the series before the start of the World Cup.

OVER 1: AUS 11/0 Watson 5* Haddin 1* Chris Woakes is given the new ball honours as Australia open up with two boundaries, including four wides. It's got a right field camp feel out there though: Paul Collingwood and Trott are currently off for treatment.

07.35 Jonathan Trott's 137 has given England the ascendancy but this Sydney pitch looks a belter for the batters. Are we in for another monumental run chase? We'll see.

07.30 Morning, everyone. And it's a great news for England fans despite Australia already having sealed the series. But there is still a World Cup looming and what better way to warm up for the sub-continent. For England have recorded their highest ODI total against Australia (333-6) and not a six in sight (also the highest one-day total without clearing the ropes!).

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England seam bowler Ajmal Shahzad ruled out of rest of one-day international series against Australia

Fellow quick Chris Tremlett was also ruled out of tomorrow’s sixth and penultimate one-dayer in Sydney after he also had a scan on a side strain today, although he was cleared of suffering a tear to a side injury.

The tall right-armer will be reassessed in the coming days and may be fit to return to action for the final game in Perth on Sunday.

“Shahzad has suffered the type of minor hamstring tear that required at least eight days of rest, and as such he will be rested,” an England and Wales Cricket Board spokeswoman said.

“He will remain with the England squad in Australia where he will be in the best to begin his rehabilitation from the injury.

“The England team are remaining cautious with Tremlett (who is not a part of the World Cup squad) despite the scans showing no sign of a tear.

“The specialists will take another look at him in the coming days and make a further assessment before the final game of the series in Perth on Sunday.”

England’s batsmen will be aiming to put a disappointing one-day international series behind them, and re-establish their dominance over Australia this winter, when they play the first of two dead rubbers in Sydney tomorrow.

After conceding the seven-game series with a 51-run defeat in Brisbane on Wednesday, skipper Andrew Strauss admitted that his batsmen had let the side down.

England have failed to find the consistency with the bat that marked their Ashes success earlier in the tour as they have been bowled out in all four of their defeats.

The tourists’ only success so far arrived in Adelaide when a century from Jonathan Trott guided them to 299 for eight – England’s highest score against Australia on their home soil.

Strauss has repeatedly lamented “soft dismissals” for his side’s problems and with the World Cup looming large there is little time left to rectify the issue.

With that in mind all-rounder Luke Wright admitted that England had plenty of incentive in the remaining two matches of the series, which concludes in Perth on Sunday, as they aim to go to the subcontinent with some improved form under their belt.

“It has been disappointing series, but no one knows that more than the batters – we want to put it right,” he said.

“It showed in the one game we won, when Trotty went on and made a big hundred. That’s what we did well in the Test matches, people got big hundreds and that’s why we won the series.

“We’ve played outstandingly well in one-day cricket for two years now, so very disappointed to lose the series but obviously we’ve still got a lot to look forward to.

“The next two games are very important for us going into the next World Cup.

“It’s a massive confidence game and any momentum we can get going into that World Cup is going to be a help.

“If we can go home and it’s 4-3 then we can take quite a lot from that. Australia are such a top opponent, especially here as well.” The 25-year-old all-rounder has been a regular part of the England limited overs squad for the past couple of years without pinning down a set role with either bat or ball.

His bits-and-pieces role has been underlined in the already-lost series against Australia during which he has played just one game – when he was the second top-scorer with 32 in last week’s defeat in Sydney.

Wright is, however, likely to return on the same ground tomorrow following the mounting injury count to England’s bowlers.

In their absence Wright, who bowled only two overs in his one match in the series, is likely to be given a more significant role with the ball and he is hoping to grab his opportunity as time ticks down toward the World Cup.

“Every time you play you give yourself an opportunity to make a statement and keep your spot,” he said.

“It only takes one game, a big hundred or a five-for to get a spot down.

“I’ve played just the one game but I’ve trained hard and I’m hoping to get the nod for tomorrow.

“All you can do is work hard and when you get your chance take the opportunity.

“You’ve always got a lot to prove in international cricket. It doesn’t take long for everyone to need a performance and you always want one.”

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Australia v England - fourth one-day international: live

49.3 273/7 A single to Smith. 27 off three.

49.2 272/7 Smith edges a full one past Prior for four. 28 off four, which is, if anything, even more impossible.

49.1 268/7 Let's go ball by ball, just for a bit of fun. Lee misses the first and the batsmen run through for a bye. Would have been out if Prior had hit, but he didn't. 32 off five balls, which as we all know, is impossible.

OVER 49: AUS 267/7 Smith 41* Lee 34* Four to Smith as he plays his favourite shot, swivelling and pulling Anderson through square leg. And then - how many times has that happened today? - Lee skews it straight into the air, and it falls in between about four fielders. And so we come to the final over, which will be bowled by Chris Tremlett, with Australia still needing 33 to win.

Feel the withering rebuke of The Analyst on Twitter! "This ODI win will create more problems than it solves. Prior will carry on at 2 - wrong, Trott 3 - dubious, Bell and Morgan at 5&6 - dumb."

OVER 48: AUS 258/7 Smith 37* Lee 30* Tremlett returns; Lee hoiks, but straight up in the air! Who wants it? But it drops safe! Sweat is dripping off Lee's face as carves down to deep point for two more. Two more to Smith for a firm drive through the off-side - top work by Morgan on the rope, and Australia need 42 off two overs. Even though it won't have a bearing on the result, England have allowed Australia's lower order to rally again.

OVER 47: AUS 251/7 Smith 34* Lee 26* England just taking their eyes off the ball here. Short and down the leg side by Shahzad, and Smith helps it round the corner for three runs. Shahzad then bowls down the leg-side and Prior fails to gather. Three byes, plus one for the wide, and England have somehow contrived to concede seven runs off the ball of the over. That becomes nine off two, and then ten off three, but Shahzad applies the pressure with a series of excellent yorkers, and even though the fifty partnership comes up that over, Australia still need 49 off three overs. 44 from the five Powerplay overs, and Shahzad has finished with one for 58 off his set of 10.

OVER 46: AUS 239/7 Smith 33* Lee 19* Lee edges Anderson for four as the home crowd shuffle towards the exits. Some more singles, and then a really well-timed pull by Lee for four more, bisecting the two men on the leg-side boundary. Twelve off the over. Still not enough, but Australia showing their ticker. Australia need 61 off 4 overs.

OVER 45: AUS 227/7 Smith 32* Lee 9* Smith steps all the way across his stumps trying to paddle down to fine leg, Shahzad spots him and floats it in slower, but Smith still manages to get it away for two. Smith and Lee then think about a bye through to Prior, decide against, but Smith would still have been well out if Prior's underarm throw had been... well, not six feet wide of the stumps. Five off the over, and Australia need 73 off 5 overs.

OVER 44: AUS 222/7 Smith 28* Lee 8* Oh, Anderson. Take the damn wicket, will you? A bit more short stuff to Brett Lee; he misses at first, and then cuts it uppishly, high over point and bouncing just inside the rope. Four runs for that, and then one more from a toe-end into the leg-side. Anderson flicked the stumps with his fingers as his bowling arm came over, and as one of the most literal wicket-to-wicket bowlers in the game, I can tell you that that really will smart. Smith then jabs the bat down on a dastardly, in-swinging middle-stump yorker and gets three down to square leg, where Eoin Morgan saves the fourth with a well-timed slide. Good cricket, as men (it's always men) of a certain ilk like to observe: good ball, well played, and excellently fielded. I make that ten off the over. Australia need 78 off 6 overs.

OVER 43: AUS 212/7 Smith 24* Lee 3* Shahzad returns to administer what must be, at the very least, the antepenultimate rites. Smith flicks down to fine leg and hurries back for the second; Lee gets a short delivery and fends it just short of Bell at gully, and Australia need 88 to win off 7 overs.

OVER 42: AUS 207/7 Smith 20* Lee 2* This is where Twenty20 sails streets ahead of its 50-over counterpart. In Twenty20, the death is at least swift. Here, instead, we clatter on, possibly for another 40 minutes, with the result not remotely in doubt. Smith plays out a couple of dot balls before carving down to third man for two. Four off the over, and here comes the batting Powerplay, which is about as overdue as the end credits in Black Swan.

OVER 41: AUS 203/7 Smith 17* Lee 1* Still no sign of the batting Powerplay as Trott continues. Smith scampers through for a leg bye, but Lee struggles to lay bat on ball, only just managing to late cut the last for a single that keeps him on strike. Ninety-seven off nine overs is the equation, but there's really not much equitable about it.

OVER 40: WICKET! Hastings c Strauss b Anderson 1 (3) AUS 201/7
Short, fended straight into the air and out, out, out! Strauss with a simple catch at short mid-wicket! Nice tight over by Anderson, and he's rewarded with the wicket of Hastings, who looks none too comfortable with the short stuff. Brett Lee the new batsman as Australia need 99 off the last 10 overs. They're going out with a whimper here. Smith 17* Lee 0*

OVER 39: AUS 199/6 Smith 16* Hastings 0* John Hastings is the new batsman. Think of him as a kind of poor man's James Hopes. He won't face immediately, as Smith can't score off the last ball of the over. More than nine an over needed by Australia now, and James Anderson - remember him? - is going to return to mop up.

WICKET! White c Yardy b Trott 44 (64) AUS 199/6
White's long, ugly vigil comes to an end! Trott strikes again! Straight down long-on's throat as White tries to deposit Trott over the rope! That must surely seal it for England!

OVER 38: AUS 196/5 White 42* Smith 15* Four more for Smith as he cuts powerfully past point's right hand! Twenty minutes of Smith might make this interesting. But while he's undoubtedly adept at flaying the ball inelegantly to the boundary, he's not quite as good at rotating the strike. But that's just imbecilic from Prior, gathering the ball after Smith misses a pull, hitting the stumps with a pointless shy and granting an overthrow. Not a bad over for Australia, and still a batting Powerplay to come...

OVER 37: AUS 186/5 White 40* Smith 9* Trott continues. Reckon he might have found his niche here. Bit of a luxury having him as your sixth choice, no? Why not drop one of the seamers and have him as a fifth bowler in India? (Note to reader: I'm joking.) Smith pulls robustly through mid-wicket for four and then drives for two, but still only seven off the over.

OVER 36: AUS 179/5 White 40* Smith 2* Yardy's outta there after that expensive over, and in steams Tremlett instead. Smith's off the mark first ball with an off-side carve for one, but White can't get a run off any of the last three balls of the over. Good, tight stuff from Tremlett, and England are surely on the cusp of sealing the deal here.

OVER 35: AUS 176/5 White 39* Smith 0* White blocks the last ball of the over. 124 needed off 15 overs.

WICKET! Hussey c Bell b Trott 28 (34) AUS 176/5
Oh, Hussey's furious! On a length from Trott, who remarkably is still bowling, and Hussey simply lifts it straight to deep cover! Bell takes a couple of steps towards the ball and pouches it! An angry swish of the bat from Hussey as he walks away. Just as Australia were gathering some momentum, England make the breakthrough! Steve Smith the new man.

OVER 34: AUS 172/4 White 38* Hussey 25* Right, it's gear-cranking time! White lifts Yardy over cover for four, and then repeats the shot off the last ball. A filthy wide and a dribble of singles, and that's Australia's most productive over of the innings. Twelve off it!

OVER 33: AUS 160/4 White 29* Hussey 24* Is Trott going to continue? He is. Dot ball to Hussey, and then a couple down to fine leg as he edges onto his thigh pad. Oh, it hit Prior on the pad as well as it went through! That's got to go down as another drop, I'm afraid! Still, only the three from Trott's over, and Australia do need to give it some hammer now, you feel.

OVER 32: AUS 157/4 White 29* Hussey 21* Still, on the bright side, that human paean to excellence, Mike Yardy, is back in the attack. White tries to ramp the ball over his shoulder, and gets three for it. He then dances down the pitch, and gets a thick edge that thuds into Prior's right pad! It went so quickly that it seems mightily unfair to put it down as a drop, but it's there in bold, so there we are. Yardy then produces a very slow, very full toss off the last ball of the over. It reached a startled White at thigh height, and all he could do was pat it back. Nifty bowling by Yardy. More drinks, and Australia need 7.94 runs an over to wrap up the series.

OVER 31: AUS 150/4 White 26* Hussey 18* Master Strauss has seen enough from his yeoman Trott to grant him another over. Hussey inside edges again for two, a single here, a single there, and it's seven from the over. It's not very 'Sky Sports' of me to say so, but I'm afraid this is hardly the most riveting fare. Not that Jonathan Trott bowling to Cameron White using a bat made entirely of edges is in any way disappointing, but having been virtually present when England won the Ashes, and when Europe won the Ryder Cup, let's just say this is shaping up to be one of my quieter days.

OVER 30: AUS 143/4 White 23* Hussey 14* Hussey inside edges past his stumps! Two down to fine leg, a couple of other singles as Tremlett keeps it tight, and that run rate's pushing up to eight an over. At some stage, one or both of this pair are going to have to do a Richard Keys, and 'smash it'.

OVER 29: AUS 139/4 White 22* Hussey 11* Jonathan Trott's going to bowl. A little shudder went up my spine as I typed that. So, what did that Trott over produce? A) A series of Joel Garner rib-ticklers, pinning the batsman back in his crease before a lethally quick yorker sears through his defences? B) The full house: a ripping leg-spinner, a top-spinner, a flipper, a doosra, a carrom ball and finally a wicked googly that spins past the bat and tickles the top of leg stump? Or C) A series of medium-pace dobblies speared in at leg stump that White and Hussey can simply step back and loft over extra cover? When White tries the shot, substitute fielder Luke Wright saves a boundary with a sensational sliding stop on the rope. When Hussey does it, it drops just out of the reach of Pietersen, and he gets two.

OVER 28: AUS 132/4 White 18* Hussey 9* That's just stupefyingly awful cricket all round. Bit of a long hop by Tremlett, an ugly bottom-handed bunt through mid-wicket by Hussey, and a comical misfield on the boundary by Pietersen to give him four. As he slid to stop the ball and throw it inside the rope, the ball hit his own shoulder and rebounded back over the rope. Pietersen cares scantly enough to smile as the crowd barrack him.

OVER 27: AUS 126/4 White 17* Hussey 4* Goodness, has Cameron White just timed one? Down to fine leg for two runs? He has, you know. A few more singles, but nothing to alarm England in the slightest. Collingwood finishes his seventh over, and Chris Tremlett's going to return to the attack.

OVER 26: AUS 121/4 White 14* Hussey 2* White flukes another one over cover. Not sure exactly which edge of the bat that took, but it certainly wasn't anywhere near the middle. This is skilful stuff by Shahzad, a yorker outside off stump, and then a slower ball on the stumps, and White can score off neither. That run rate's creeping up on Australia like an unpaid gas bill. Hussey won't have much time to play himself in.

OVER 25: AUS 118/4 White 12* Hussey 1* It's tough to see Australia winning from this position, but you can easily see England losing it, if you take my meaning. Collingwood continues, and White really hasn't looked himself out there yet. He's barely middled one, which perversely is making him try to hit the ball harder and harder. Just a single each to White and Hussey, though, and Collingwood is currently sitting on the outstanding figures of one for 17 off six overs. Australia need 7.3 an over at the halfway stage, which would be entirely feasible with wickets in hand, but England, you feel, just need to keep their eye on the ball to reduce their series arrears to 3-1.

OVER 24: WICKET! Watson c Prior b Shahzad 64 (72) AUS 116/4
Could that be the breakthrough that wins the game for England? Shahzad strangles Watson outside off-stump! It might even have been a wide if Watson had left it. But having drilled the ball through mid-off for four the previous ball, he was in no mood to tarry, and an attempted wild swish finds a faint little tickle, and England can barely contain their delight! What a vital wicket! White 11* Hussey 0*

OVER 23: AUS 109/3 Watson 59* White 9* She kills herself. Natalie Portman kills herself. That's how it ends. It's a Swan Lake parallel, you see? She kills herself in order to attain a more perfect beauty. "I'm perfect," she breathes as she takes her final, glorious gulp of air. Preposterous. Five off Collingwood's over, including an ugly leg-side wide that he's fortunate doesn't disappear to the boundary. Prior with some tidy work there.

OVER 22: AUS 104/3 Watson 57* White 7* Shahzad is back, and is that an eensy weensy bit of reverse swing? Still, Watson drives out to deep cover for two runs, and then knocks the ball into the off-side for one more. Tight single that, might have been interesting if Bell had managed to make a mess of the stumps with his throw. The last ball definitely does reverse though! Big, expansive drive by White outside off stump, and he ends up missing it by a mile as the ball tails back into him. Seven an over now the required rate.

OVER 21: AUS 101/3 Watson 54* White 7* Collingwood's bowling an excellent spell here. Not only is he keeping the scoring down, the batsmen struggling to pierce that irritating inner ring, but he's looking a real wicket-taking threat too. The odd one comes back in, the odd one keeps low, and the upshot is just one off the over. When will the batsmen feel confident enough to attack Collingwood?

OVER 20: AUS 100/3 Watson 53* White 7* White lofts Yardy over mid-on - although not entirely convincingly - for two runs, before a low full toss scoots under Matt Prior and away for two byes. Twenty overs bowled, Australia need exactly 200, and England are on top at Adelaide.

OVER 19: AUS 94/3 Watson 52* White 4* Right, a couple more overs before I reveal the ending of Black Swan and deprive its makers of around £8.50 in box office revenue. Another lovely juicy over by Collingwood, exemplary line and length and just a little bit of nip, and two singles are all Australia can squeeze from it. Big LBW appeal off the last ball as Collingwood brings one back and takes Watson on bat and pad at roughly the same time, but there's enough doubt there for Watson to be given not out and for Strauss to decline the review.

OVER 18: AUS 92/3 Watson 51* White 3* Watson gets to a fine fifty - and overtakes Jonathan Trott as the highest runscorer in this long and pointless series - by cutting Yardy for one. White then tries to swipe over the leg-side, ends up skewing it over cover, and it only just lands safe with Shahzad bearing down on the ball! Five from the over, and Australia need exactly 6.5 runs per over.

OVER 17: WICKET! Clarke b Collingwood 15 (27) AUS 87/3
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? The Ginger Laker strikes! Watson looks none too comfortable with Collingwood's off-cutters, inside-edging through his legs for a fortuitous single. Clarke is nowhere near as fortunate, though, and as the ball nips back through his gate it flicks the top of middle stump! A nonplussed Clarke strides back into the pavilion! Advantage England again! White the new man. Watson 49* White 0*

OVER 16: AUS 86/2 Watson 48* Clarke 15* That's a much better over by Yardy, straightening up his line and making it harder for Watson and Clarke to milk easy singles into the leg side. There are even two or three stifled LBW appeals as Watson props forward. Eventually he turns it down to fine leg for a couple. Three from the over, and that's drinks.

OVER 15: AUS 83/2 Watson 45* Clarke 15* Strauss's flirtation with Collingwood (in cricketing terms, obviously, this isn't some wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance) ends after one over, and Shahzad comes back. And it's a good over, four singles from it. Still, Australia took 38 off those five Powerplay overs, and the game is well and truly alive as Yardy begins his second over.

OVER 14: AUS 79/2 Watson 43* Clarke 13* Michelle Yardy steps into the attack. After spending a couple of weeks treating his gentle rubber darts with the kind of caution you would normally regard radioactive waste, Australia look to have the measure of him now, which doesn't exactly bode well for six weeks of World Cup. And so it proves, Clarke and Watson helping themselves to five ones and a two. Seven off the over.

OVER 13: AUS 72/2 Watson 39* Clarke 9* Went to see that Black Swan last night. What a preposterously stupid film. Tripe masquerading as art. You see, it purports to be about ballet and beauty and perfection, but if you boil it down, it's really just a film about Natalie Portman's cha-cha. In fact, it was so bad I'm considering giving away the ending so nobody else can go and see it. Any objections? That's a decent start by Collingwood, but Watson times a late cut to perfection and ruins it by getting a boundary.

Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "England looking well set to win the ODI. Only a Watson hundred can save the Aussies."

OVER 12: AUS 66/2 Watson 34* Clarke 9* Whack! Watson swings Tremlett's slower ball over mid-wicket for six! Mid-on went back onto the fence, so Watson simply went wider of the man, and England need to beware here. A decent yorker from Tremlett gets Watson off strike, but Clarke gets his first boundary by flicking a shortish ball down to fine leg. Dangerous times for England, and so Strauss brings on the man for whom danger is his middle name: Paul Collingwood. It's not actually danger, it's David, but close enough.

OVER 11: AUS 55/2 Watson 27* Clarke 5* Watson gets his dancing shoes on! He swings Shahzad through the line, and it sails over mid-on for four. That wasn't a remotely bad ball by Shahzad, not too full, not too short, but Watson got enough height and distance on it to clear the man. The next one's a little streakier, over mid-off this time, but it still has enough to run away for four more. Good over for Australia, who now need 245 from 39 overs at 6.3 an over.

OVER 10: AUS 45/2 Watson 18* Clarke 4* Short from Tremlett, and Watson squeezes it through backward square leg for two, Pietersen on the boundary making the sliding stop. A short extra cover comes in for Clarke, which is a smart move in any form of cricket. Clarke steps across his stumps and turns in to mid-on for one, before Watson cuts with bat askew, down to third man for two. That's the end of Powerplay One, and it's been a good one for England.

OVER 9: AUS 39/2 Watson 13* Clarke 3* Clarke's off the mark, forcing off the back foot for three. Watson, meanwhile, is getting itchy feet, and tries to smash Anderson over mid-wicket and into the eighth dimension, but ends up scuffing it along the ground to deep mid-wicket.

OVER 8: AUS 34/2 Watson 11* Clarke 0* Watson gets a single into the off-side off the first ball of Tremlett's over. Clarke's happy to use the rest of the over as a sighter, though, leaving three of his five deliveries. One off the over, and at this stage of their innings, England were 53 for one. England have taken wickets with the new ball, which is what they needed to do, but still that missing fifth bowler will be giving Strauss a mild impending headache.

OVER 7: AUS 33/2 Watson 10* Clarke 0* Clarke defends his first ball. Wicket maiden for Anderson, and Australia need 267 off 43 overs at a rate of 6.2.

WICKET! Marsh c&b Anderson 1 (6) AUS 33/2
Anderson strikes! Again Marsh is a little early on the shot, a simple forward push to a simple good-length delivery by Anderson, bowling round the wicket. Did it stick in the pitch? Did Anderson hold it back a touch? Did Marsh just misjudge it? In any case, it popped up for a simple return catch, and as Michael Clarke strides to the wicket England have a marvellous opportunity to haul themselves back into the Longest One-Day Series In History.

OVER 6: AUS 33/1 Watson 10* Marsh 1* Marsh off the mark first ball. End of a fine over by Tremlett, who you sense must be desperate to go home nonetheless. He's not in the World Cup squad, and he's only playing because two of England's first-choice bowlers are currently enjoying the free Qantas peanuts

WICKET! Haddin c Strauss b Tremlett 20 (16) AUS 32/1
Gone! Tremlett works the slower ball! Haddin never looked comfortable that over, inside edging down to fine leg for four, and then fortunate not to play on. But Tremlett has him next time, cutting his fingers across the ball and tempting Haddin into driving far too soon. Strauss pockets the catch at short extra-cover! That's fine bowling from Tremlett, and the dangerous-looking Haddin departs!

OVER 5: AUS 28/0 Watson 10* Haddin 16* That's four! Haddin again swings high over mid-off. And four more! Cut through point. Haddin's tactic, clearly, is to give himself room and swing. The Tufnell approach, you might call it. After going for nine off his first three balls, though, Anderson pulls it back.

OVER 4: AUS 18/0 Watson 9* Haddin 8* Shahzad still bustling in off his short run and giving the batsmen the hurry-up, regularly penetrating the 90mph barrier. Haddin again tries to back away and swipe over the in-field, but Shahzad cleverly threads the gap between Haddin's swinging arc and the off-side wide mark (a rhyme curiously rejected by most of the great poets of history) and bowls another dot ball. Haddin connects that time, though, swinging over mid-off for four.

OVER 3: AUS 13/0 Watson 8* Haddin 4* Now! Is that a drop? Not quite! Watson flicks uppishly into the leg-side, and it falls just short of Eoin Morgan at deep mid-wicket and squirms under his lithe, diving frame for four runs. Watson then chops to backward point, and Haddin would have been completely and utterly out if Collingwood's throw had hit the stumps! A suicidal single, and Haddin had virtually given up on making his ground there. Two let-offs for Australia that over.

OVER 2: AUS 7/0 Watson 3* Haddin 4* Shahzad to bowl the second over, and it's a good one. Tight line and a good length off his short run, and all Watson can do is chop one down to third man. Haddin then gets a thick inside edge that runs away through square leg for three ill-gotten runs. The rest of the Australian batting line-up, by the way: Marsh, Clarke, White, Hussey, Smith, Hastings, Lee, Doherty, Bollinger.

OVER 1: AUS 3/0 Watson 2* Haddin 1* A slip and a short cover in for Watson, who gets off the mark with a controlled edge down to third man. Swing for Anderson, though, who squares up Haddin with some late curve. Watson tucks the ball off his thigh to mid-wicket for one more, before Haddin backs away to try and carve Anderson over the covers, Anderson follows him down the leg side, and Haddin almost chops on to his stumps.

07.34 The sun is still out, but the lights are on at Adelaide as Shane Watson and Brad Haddin stride to the wicket to try and knock off those 300 runs. Opening the bowling for England on his return from dribble-wiping duty at home, it's James Anderson.

Simon Briggs on Twitter: "Collingwood found a bit of form here (27 from 27) which means that if England return to five bowlers, it's probably Bell who misses out"

07.25 Hold your dingo dogs, though. England may have biffed their way to a halfway decent total, but it's come at a price - they've only picked three specialist bowlers, with Collingwood and Yardy as the hired help. The pair batted at seven and eight as England packed the batting order, but it does leave Andrew Strauss short of options in the field. Reckon we might see a bit of Kevin Pietersen as well, if Australia's tactics were anything to go by. Between them, Steve Smith, David Hussey and Xavier Doherty - yep, he's still around, too - took seven for 98 off 21 overs. The pace bowlers claimed one for 197 off 29.

07.20 Hello! The big news - leaving aside for the time being a pundit on a string - is that this flat pancake of a one-day series appears to be alive still. Australia need 300 to win at Adelaide after a vaguely assured batting display by England.

The good: a mature century by Jonathan Trott, a barnstorming innings of 67 from 58 balls by Matt Prior at the top of the order, finally justifying his selection ahead of Steve Davies, and some full-blooded hoiking at the death by Paul Collingwood and Michael Yardy. Collingwood only made 27, but along the way not only did he pass 5,000 ODI runs, but he middled one for the first time on this tour, smacking Brett Lee over mid-wicket for six.

The bad: In increasing order of ineptitude, a forgivable failure by Andrew Strauss, an execrable loft to long-on for 12 by Kevin Pietersen, and an unremarkable two-ball duck by Ian Bell, who edged Steve Smith - yep, he's still around - through to Brad Haddin.

The ugly: Eoin Morgan, who looked well set on 24 when he tried one of his snap-o'-the-wrists reverse-sweeps, but ended up skying it straight to point.

Still, 299 should be enough. Then again, we said that at Melbourne.

Australia v England - fourth one-day international: live Australia,England,fourth,oneday,international http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8271851/Australia-v-England-fourth-one-day-international-live.html

Andrew Strauss backs England to turn series around after victory over Australia in fourth one-day international

Having lost the first three one-day internationals to an Australian side chastened by Ashes defeat, England secured a 21-run win in Adelaide built around Jonathan Trott's anchor innings of 102.

Trott's efforts pleased Strauss but it was the contributions for previously out-of-form players like Matt Prior (67), Paul Collingwood (27) and Michael Yardy (39no) that gave the skipper cause for optimism.

Asked if an improbable 4-3 series win could now be achievable, Strauss said: "I don't see why not.

"We absolutely desperately needed a victory and we were very determined to do so, but we needed a couple of good performances.

"Jonathan Trott's hundred was a very high quality innings and we probably could have got more than our 299, but that is generally a defendable total here and the bowlers did a good job.

"Matt Prior did brilliantly too. To come in after two ducks and play so positively showed his attributes. He played some good shots down the ground and scampered between the wickets to put the Australians under pressure.

"We needed Colly to get back into form and he came in in a good position where he could play some shots which will help him. Michael Yardy also played in the inventive way he can, which was good to see."

Trott was also pleased to have notched a second one-day hundred having been left short on 84 no in Sydney last time out.

"We spoke before the game about getting big partnerships and I'm glad to have done that," he said.

"(Boundary hitting) is something I've been working on very hard to improve and it's important to have those options.

"You're learning all the time with this game but keeping the basics and doing them well is always important."

Andrew Strauss backs England to turn series around after victory over Australia in fourth one-day international Andrew,Strauss,backs,England,series,around,after,victory,Australia,fourth,oneday,international http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8283401/Andrew-Strauss-backs-England-to-turn-series-around-after-victory-over-Australia-in-fourth-one-day-international.html

England keep series alive with 21-run victory in fourth one-day international against Australia at Adelaide Oval

A fortnight ago, Trott would have been on the outside of England’s plans for the World Cup - the batsman most likely to find himself carrying the drinks in Nagpur on Feb 22. Now the selectors must be wondering how they can possibly drop such an unstoppable run machine.

He found a backer in Michael Clarke, the Australian captain, who said “The earlier Jonathan gets in, the more it suits him and allows him to play his natural game. I thought he held the innings together well and allowed the others to bat around him.”

Clarke also admitted that he had asked the umpire, Marais Erasmus, whether Trott had been guilty of obstructing the field. This was a silly mix-up, in which Matt Prior called a run but Trott was more worried about whether the ball - which had deflected off his body - would knock into the stumps.

There was a farcical moment when Trott, Prior and Lee all found themselves falling over each other at the striker’s end, like students in a telephone box. Trott then looked up in a panic, shoulder-charged Lee, and sprinted up the pitch in such a way that he was protecting the non-striker’s stumps from a direct hit.

In the long run, Trott’s success will open a debate over whether England can afford to play a “steady Eddie” at No 3 in Asia, where aggression in the first 20 overs is normally the way to go.

But over the rest of this tour, the pressure will be on Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell to justify their places in England’s top six, especially now that Prior has found some form as an opener.

After two successive ducks, Prior struck a dynamic 67 to put England on the right road. But Pietersen and Bell both failed, falling in the same over to Steve Smith’s second-rate leg-spin.

England’s recent run of poor form - which still leaves them struggling with a 3-1 deficit - clearly stems from mental exhaustion. Pietersen, never a man for the small occasion, was particularly culpable when he holed out at long-on. The demanding team management of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower won’t let him live on the glories of 2008 forever.

England’s innings might have stalled after their promising start - a recurring trope in this series - if they hadn’t dropped Luke Wright to fit in an extra batsman. As it was, they wrung a handy cameo out of Paul Collingwood, batting as low as No 7 for the first time in six years.

Collingwood began scratchily but swung Brett Lee for a giant six to kick-start his innings. His 27 from 27 balls might not sound like much, but it was his highest score in all cricket since the second Test, also on this ground.

Chasing 300, Australia came out of the blocks at a decent lick. This was the sort of slow, dry pitch where the faster you bowled, the faster you tended to disappear, and both Watson and Brad Haddin got a few early howitzers away off the seamers.

Taking the pace off the ball was the best solution, and the dribbly seamers of Collingwood and Trott were perfect for the middle of the innings.

Between them, the medium-pacers accounted for three wickets - not tailenders, but Australia’s Nos 4 to 6 - while conceding only four runs per over.

When Cameron White tried to pick one up into the crowd, but only holed out to long-on, England knew they had finally got themselves into a winning position.

Four late claims for World Cup chance

»Nasser Hussain
Nick Knight had been England’s preferred one-day opener for three years, but he hit a form trough just before the 1999 tournament started, and suddenly Hussain (pictured) was there. The new opener was the leading run-scorer – 194 at 64 – in a grim campaign when England failed to utilise home advantage.

»James Anderson
Anderson was only 20 when he made his debut in 2002 the one-day series during a disastrous Ashes tour, producing record-breaking figures of 10-6-12-1 in his seventh match. Subsequently led England’s wicket-takers in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa with 10 at 22.50.

»Paul Nixon
Preferring to be known as “the Badger”, the 36-year-old Nixon replaced Chris Read for the one-day series in Australia, although many other wicketkeepers had been tried. A tally of 193 runs at 38.60 in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean was a more-than-decent effort.

»Jonathan Trott
England started the Commonwealth Bank series with the idea that Trott might be the spare World Cup batsman, but his properties as a run-machine, highlighted by Wedesday’s vital century, have moved him ahead of other contenders such as Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood.

England keep series alive with 21-run victory in fourth one-day international against Australia at Adelaide Oval England,series,alive,21run,victory,fourth,oneday,international,against,Australia,Adelaide http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8283140/England-keep-series-alive-with-21-run-victory-in-fourth-one-day-international-against-Australia-at-Adelaide-Oval.html

Australia v England, fourth one-day international in pictures

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England v Australia, fifth one-day international in pictures

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/picturegalleries/8291096/England-v-Australia-fifth-one-day-international-in-pictures.html England v Australia, fifth one-day international in pictures England,Australia,fifth,oneday,international,pictures http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/picturegalleries/8291096/England-v-Australia-fifth-one-day-international-in-pictures.html

James Anderson returns to inspire England as Australia dominate one-day international series

Anderson was allowed to return home immediately after the Ashes victory to rest after being the only seamer to play in all five Tests.

However, in his absence England have won just once against Australia, a last-ball victory in the Twenty20 in Adelaide, before losing their last four matches.

That run saw the Twenty20 series levelled before falling 3-0 behind in the current seven-game one-day international series.

Anderson is set to return in Wednesday's match in Adelaide and is looking to make an immediate impact in a game England cannot afford to lose.

"It was great to go home and see my family. It was also nice to get a break and rest the body and the mind," he said.

"I needed it, my body certainly needed it after the Test series. I'm excited about playing again and looking forward to Wednesday.

"Hopefully I can bring a bit of experience and a bit of energy in the field. I'd like to think I bring some energy with both my bowling and fielding.

"I don't think we are that far away having seen the first three games. We aren't far away from a win and turning the momentum around."

Despite his team-mates' poor results in the one-day series so far, Anderson, who rejoined the squad in Sydney on Saturday, believes morale is just as high as it was during their historic Ashes success.

"I know we are 3-0 down but the dressing room seems just as positive as when I left," he added.

"They are still in good spirits. We know we are just one game away from turning the momentum around. We are looking to Wednesday to be a good all-round performance with both bat and ball."

The Adelaide Oval was the first winning stop on England's route to the Ashes, when they won by an innings and 71 runs.

Anderson took six wickets in the match and, with the game being staged on Australia Day, is hoping to keep his memories of the picturesque ground untarnished.

"I have nice memories from the Test here, but Wednesday is a completely different situation," he said. We're 3-0 down and we have a must-win one-day game.

"We're hoping for more good memories here."

James Anderson returns to inspire England as Australia dominate one-day international series James,Anderson,returns,inspire,England,Australia,dominate,oneday,international,series http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8277833/James-Anderson-returns-to-inspire-England-as-Australia-dominate-one-day-international-series.html

Australia v England - fifth one-day international: live

WICKET! Finn b Watson 35 There it is! Swing-and-a-miss from Finn and the ball just clips the bails off.

OVER 46 England 198/9 Anderson 20* Finn 35 Shane Watson is back for a bowl and Steve Finn absolutely nails him! That is a huuuuge six! 90 metres! And that's England's highest ever 10th-wicket partnership in ODIs!

OVER 45 England 192/9 Anderson 20* Finn 29 Wooooooaaaaaah, this Finn is on fire! Another ripper is sent towards the ropes, but a good dive from the man on the boundary prevents a four. More runs from England and they now need 58 runs from 5 overs.

OVER 44 England 187/9 Anderson 18* Finn 25 England's fun and games with the bat for this final wicket partnership looks to be coming to an end. Well the luck has to run out at some point right? Maybe not.... Another four from Finn!

OVER 43 England 178/9 Anderson 17* Finn 21* England end their batting powerplay with another boundary, this time from Finn, who sends it racing over midwicket and to the ropes.

OVER 42 England 173/9 Anderson 16* Finn 17* Single from Anderson brings up his career best score of 16. And to celebrate Finn sends Bollinger to the boundary for another four! Haha, and again from Finn. Stonker for four! Driven down the ground for four. This is fun now.

OVER 41 England 163/9 Anderson 15* Finn 8* Anderson piles on more misery for Australia with a single just past the right of gully. This really is commanding innings from the Lancastrian. Single from Finn to end the over and it's all England right now.

Sir Nick, The Ashes win was comprehensive in every way and the slow start especially from the batsmen in the ODIs could be accepted at a stretch. Unfortunately after today's display I feel there is a major problem and confusion within the management and players. I'm now panicking, not a chance in the World Cup. PS. My money is on Sri Lanka," mails Howard who's listening in Spain.

OVER 40 England 161/9 Anderson 14* Finn 7* More slow clap of death for Bollinger's bowling. I like it. Very gladitorial. But Finn slogs Dougie away! Not quite enough gas for four, but England run three and the brave resistance continues. Another four from Anderson! Comes down the ground and smashes it through midwicket for four. Crunch! And there's another four, this time from Finn! Drilled up and down the ground for a one-bounce four. Classy. The Rug went for 12 off that over.

OVER 39 England 149/9 Anderson 9* Finn 0* Here's Steven Finn for a bat. And like the maverick he is, the batting powerplay is instantly taken. Fab. Should knock off the 105 in double quick time now. Anderson is swinging like he's at Yankee Stadium so I don't see this lasting too long to be honest. Hoho, I take it back! That's four! Honest delivery from Watson but the Burnley Lara strikes out, scorching the ball down the ground to the boundary.

OVER 38 England 145/8 Shahzad 9* Anderson 5* Slow clap of death from the crowd as Bollinger steems in to Shahzad. And that's nearly a chance! Slow ball is fended away by Shahzad and it could have gone anywhere! Stumps were the most likely destination, but luckily for him the ball drops safely.

WICKET! Shahzad c Haddin b Bollinger 9 There it is! Bollinger finally finds the edge of Shahzad's bat and Haddin dives low to his right to take an excellent catch. Not long now.

"Not only is he liability opening his keeping has been rubbish in this series as well. Bring back Davies. Would be surprised if England win one of the last two remaining games. Think England will be better in the WC than this!! I would open with Cook!," mails Joanne.

OVER 37 England 145/8 Shahzad 9* Anderson 5 Watson takes pity on England and lets the comedy duo of Shahzad and Anderson trade singles before bowling a no-ball. From the free hit Shahzad absolutely cashes in with a huge six! It travelled 84m and just cleared the rope. Awesome.

OVER 36: England 135/8 Shahzad 1* Anderson 4* Now then! M-Jo's unleashed the bouncer! Fearsome it was too, speeding past Shahzad's helmet. Shahzad looks about as comfortable at the crease as Samit Patel does at Notts fitness testing. And there's almost yet another c*ck-up with a runner! Oh, this is embarrassing. Shahzad's runner is given the call and decides to just tear off. Luckily Anderson is awake and the pair successfully run a single. Brett Lee sniggers in the field.

OVER 35: England 134/8 Shahzad 0* Anderson 4* Here's the first bit of good news all day. The Premier's Flood Relief Appeal has raised $5,965,602. Astonishing effort. England's batting might have been a joke today but Anderson has just made Watson grimace. He edges one but it loops over second slip and away for four runs.

"My Dear Old Thing. Prior must not open for England in the WC. He's going to be a walking wicket playing shots like he did today, and giving one away at the start sets the tone for the innings," mails Tom in Norfolk.

OVER 34: England 129/8 Shahzad 0* Anderson 0* Welcome to farce-ville. We've got Shahzad with a runner and Anderson, who's chuckling at the ridiculousness of the situation, out in the middle with England needing more than 100 to win. Just awful. One wide in that over from Johnson so both the tail-enders remain on ducks.

OVER 33: England 128/8 Shahzad 0* Now then! It's Waaattttoooo for a bowl, and the local boy gets a throaty Queenslander cheer for his troubles. And two wickets!

WICKET! Woakes c Haddin b Watson 8 Double wicket maiden from Watson! Woakes played at a high delivery and gloved it behind to Haddin. Reckless, needless and in line with what England have offered today.

WICKET! Collingwood c Hastings b Watson 18 Soft dismissal (do I still need to type that or is it a given?) and the crowd are delirious that the local lad has picked up a wicket! Colly went after Watson's medium-pacer and lofted it over mid-on. Hastings did an excellent job in covering the yards and taking a fine catch. Ah dear.

OVER 32: England 128/6 Collingwood 18* Woakes 8* This would be some partnership if they did do something significant. But it's so easy for Australia to put the squeeze on now. I mean Chris Woakes is doing a nice job, but he's not there to face Mitchell Johnson with England needing well over 120 to win. The Aussies don't have to go through the motions from here, but not much more. Maiden over from Johnson is very handy indeed.

OVER 31: England 128/6 Collingwood 18* Woakes 8* England add six to their total off Smith and that's nice and positive but all seems a bit in vain. At this stage, after 31 overs, England were 140-4. So it's still on but they've obviously lost too many.

From Simon 'The Analyst' Hughes on Twitter: "England look mentally drained."

OVER 30: England 122/6 Collingwood 14* Woakes 6* Sky are recapping all the wickets from earlier today. Not exacly great viewing and I have to share Mr Vaughan's concerns over our World Cup chances. Mail me with your thoughts, if you have any.

OVER 29: England 118/6 Collingwood 12* Woakes 3* Smth's had a good day with the ball today. Seven overs bowled for one wicket and only 23 runs. Another tight one this, just three from it.

From Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "I hope my cooking is better than Englands batting...I hope we are not heading for another WC disappointment.. With this squad we shouldn't."

OVER 28: England 115/6 Collingwood 11* Woakes 2* Hoho, is this the first sign of a Paul Collingwood revival? It's a boundary from the red haired Durham lad, flicked wide of mid-on to the boundary. He follows it up with a clip through midwicket for two. Nice.

From Andrew Flintoff on Twitter: "Going to do a swim session , but swimming can't be that good , how fat are whales and they swim loads!"

OVER 27: England 108/6 Collingwood 5* Woakes 2* Smith bowling against this nervy duo and he's in a great position to heap the pain on England. Bit short with his first delivery though and Collingwood pushes him wide of mid-off for one. Woakes drives through the gap at cover to add another to the total, but England are living on borrowed time.

OVER 26: England 105/6 Collingwood 3* Woakes 1*

WICKET! Bell b Hastings 36 Bowled him! Bell is gone dragging on! He tried to open the face of the bat but got himself in a complete mess. England are finished now.

OVER 25: England 103/5 Bell 36* Collingwood 2* Nice from Bell, driving Smith down to long-off for a single. Collingwood then contributes by sending a cut through cover point before Bell ends the over by putting a single away towards long-on. Another tight over from Smith but the runs are still there from England. Shame about the wickets.

OVER 24: England 100/5 Bell 34* Collingwood 1* So we're down to the last partnership that you could realistically see making a big enough contribution to a winning total for England. There's Bell, who's not looked entirely comfortable in this match, and Collingwood, who's had an awful winter with the bat. Hmmmmm. Colly nudges one to leg to get off the mark before a single from Bell brings up the 100 for England.

OVER 23: England 98/5 Bell 33*

WICKET! Morgan c Johnson b Hastings 2 All over red rover! Morgan goes long and deep off Smith but only finds Johnson at long-off, who after a bit of a juggle, takes the catch. Not a good shot and it looks bleak for England now.

OVER 22: England 96/4 Bell 32* Morgan 1* A batting purist will love this. England's fourth-wicket partnership are digging deep and ticking off the runs with the minimum of fuss. But I can see how those brought up on a diet of T20 could find the lack of big hits frustrating.

WICKET! Pietersen c Lee b Hastings 40 Oh come on, Kevin! Not a lot going on but Hastings' slower-ball bouncer deceives KP. The ball slows on its way to Pietersen and he is caught between a pull and swing before top-edging it to Lee and mid-on. Momentum towards Australia after all that hard work from England.

OVER 21: England 92/3 Pietersen 38* Bell 31* Come on then, it's Pietersen against Smith. Time for some fireworks? Ah no.... He and Bell trade singles in a pretty tight spell of bowling from the young 'un. (I'm 25, can I call people young yet?)

OVER 20: England 89/3 Pietersen 37* Bell 29* Clarke starting to look a bit concerned out in the middle now. And anxious he might be. As long as these two are out there making runs this game is only going one way.

OVER 19: England 86/3 Pietersen 36* Bell 27* Bell pulls out a couple of pre-meditated sweeps for Smith's bowling and it works pretty well, Smith going for five. All good for England. Just keep the bowlers going for five-ish and you'll be there in no time.

OVER 18: England 81/3 Pietersen 35* Bell 23* Argh, that "catch" claim gets more annoying every time I look at it. Anyway Hastings is back for a go, and KP continues to fancy him (in the batting sense). Just three runs from the over but England are going well.

OVER 17: England 78/3 Pietersen 34* Bell 21* 'Right s*d this,' says Michael Clarke. Compulsory powerplay is over, and on comes the spinner, Steve Smith. The same Steve Smith who took no wickets during the Ashes series. Bell chips him over the field and he and KP run two. Now then! Australia are appealing for a catch! Oh that's rubbish. Shame on you Smith! Right, let me fill you in. KP dabbed at one for Smith it sat up for a low catching chance for Smith. He dives for it, drops the ball, then lands on it before scooping it up and claiming a catch. Key point is he dropped it! And that's a waste of everyone's time. Dweeb.

OVER 16: England 74/3 Pietersen 33* Bell 18* Quick single from Pietersen brings up the 50 partnership and what an excellent job they've done in stabilising the England innings. Two more from Bell to end the over and it does feel like these two are pretty comfortable.

OVER 15: England 70/3 Pietersen 32* Bell 15* I think there's some tennis on or something, but you're still with me right? Come on, it's Johnson bowling. That's always amusing, isn't it? Bell knocks a delivery away, off his glove I think, for a single to put KP on strike against Johnson. Now then! Nah, nothing explosive unfortunately. Pretty tight over actually.

OVER 14: England 69/3 Pietersen 32* Bell 14* Hastings is back for a bowl and KP is after him, eyeing him up like he would a lucrative commercial deal. Pietersen opens the face of his bat before gliding the ball to the third man boundary for four. Very nice shot and he's in control at the moment.

OVER 13: England 62/3 Pietersen 27* Bell 13* So Johnson continues. He's been going at around seven an over which is the Johnson we've seen the most of this winter. Of course he's capable of a magic over or two, but there's been no signs of that yet. More runs off M-Jo for England before a no-ball is called by umpire Rauf. Resulting ree hit is gobbled up by Bell and sent up down the ground for four. Another expensive over from Johnson - eight off it - helps this parternship up to 40.

OVER 12: England 54/3 Pietersen 25* Bell 8* Here's 'Big' John 'Wayne' Hastings for a bowl. His first ball finds the outside edge of Pietersen's bat and KP calls a quick single. Last ball of the over is paddled away by Pietersen for a single, and that's three off the over.

OVER 11: England 51/3 Pietersen 23* Bell 7* Australia have taken the bowling powerplay and Johnson will continue. Pietersen attempts a drive off M-Jo but he gets a thick outside edge that squirts behind, and away from the non-existent second slip, for four. Pietersen plays a defensive shot and considers a single before deciding against it. Bell is called back has a lot of room to make up! Only just does it too! Direct hit from the fielder and he was gone.

OVER 10: England 45/3 Pietersen 18* Bell 6* KP never tires of telling us he's a "big game player" and that's a fine stroke to back it up. Beautifully timed thwack to the ropes for four and England's rate is creeping up. More driving follows from Pietersen, down the ground for one, and you know what, it looks like he fancies this. Bell tries a drive - a ruddy unconvincing one - but luckily for him it lands safely away from Australian hands.

OVER 9: England 38/3 Pietersen 13* Bell 4* Here's Mitchell Johnson for a bowl. Not really the man you want to see when you desperately want to recuperate. But KP's not fussed! He drives one of Johnson's slingers straight down the ground and past Bell for four! England's rehabilitation has begun but when you put it into perspective, Australia were 48/0 at this stage. Stil lots of work for England to do.

OVER 8: England 30/3 Pietersen 6* Bell 3* Two men at the crease now who people love to wax lyrical about. Lovely stroke players etc etc. Well now they have to dig England out of a deep hole. Pulled up in the air by Bell! But it's safe! Last thing England need is a twitchy Bell. Dougie can smell blood..

OVER 7: England 27/3 Pietersen 5* Bell 1* What is going on at the Gabba? Well, apart from a live blogger's nightmare of consecutive wickets. England had a simple target but they've crumbled under the first sign of pressure. It's all Australia after seven overs!

WICKET! Trott c Bollinger b Lee 0 Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. England are in deep, deep trouble. Trott flicks an ordinary delivery to fine short leg and the bowlers combine!

OVER 6: England 22/2 Trott 0* Pietersen 2*

WICKET! Strauss c Smith b Bollinger 3 Dougie's got the captain! Strauss tries to pull Bollinger but only finds Smith at square leg. England all over the place!

OVER 5: England 20/1 Strauss 3* Lee is containing Strauss - who's pretty much a run a ball ODI batsman these days - very well. The England skipper should be mindful of getting bogged down by Lee. Just keep the score ticking over, Andrew..

WICKET! Prior b Lee 14 That's classic Brett Lee but an awful shot. Priot tries to nurdle Lee's snorting delivery down the leg side but he loses sight of it and the bails are removed by the paceman.

OVER 4: England 19/0 Strauss 2* Prior 14* Crowd really love Bolligner don't they? "LET'S DO DOUGIE, LET'S GO!" they chant. Prior's not interested though and he drives the Australian hero down the ground. There's a man there so no boundary but that was a commanding stroke. England going for it today. Short ball from Bollinger is given similarly dismissive treatment by Prior and he pulls it away for four. Nice.

OVER 3: England 13/0 Strauss 1* Prior 9* England's openers are certainly going for it! Lee offers Strauss a bit of width and the skipper gladly accepts pounding the bowler away to third man for a single. Prior grabs a single off the last ball and will face Bollinger in the next over. Nice enough start from England.

OVER 2: England 11/0 Strauss 0* Prior 8* Doug the Rug is into the attack and his first ball ricochets off Prior's thigh pad and away for a quick two runs. Bollinger's second is a monster that ends up smacking Prior in the neck. Ow. The crowd is getting behind Bollinger and he must feel ten foot tall. Until now! Prior tracks Bollinger's short delivery all the way before smacking it down the ground for four! Prior soon has another four when his, quite wild, swing races away to the ropes.

OVER 1: England 1/0 Strauss 0* Prior 0* It's Brett Lee with the cherry to start us off....and that's a wide down the off side. Nice start. Second one is much better, good length, plenty of pace and pings away from Strauss at the last minute. More excellence from Lee on the fourth delivery as Strauss swings-and-misses going for a drive. Short ball from Lee is delivered well over the 90mph mark and the seamer is loving the reaction he's getting from the crowd. Great opening duel and Strauss survives.

0728: Almost ready to start. This is a great test of England's resolve. Routine target but the pressure's on. What have you got, boys?

From Opta Jim on Twitter: "8 - Jonathan Trott has passed fifty 8 times in his fifteen ODI innings. Converter."

0725: Sky's in-studio analysts are struggling to be heard over an ABBA tribute band. That reminds me of the summer when Mamma Mia! was performed every night at an open-air theatre near my house. A long, noisy, summer.

0720: Good morning. Jonathan is busy dealing with something called the F...A.. Cup? (Football? It'll never catch on) so I'm with you for England's tilt at getting back into this series, or Australia's tilt at sealing the series. Depends. Well Australia have opened the batting and not really fired like they would wanted to, scoring 249. Thanks mostly to some wonderful bowling from Chris 'Woakesy' Woakes who finished with 6 for 45, the second-best figures ever in ODIs for England. Australia's batsman all made decent starts before getting out cheaply. Brad Haddin (37) and Michael Clarke (54) were the top scorers and that goes some way to telling you where Australia went wrong. If someone had tonned up or a few more had made fiddies they'd be comfortable. As it is England need to make 250 at five an over to win. Simple, right? Let's find out...

Australia v England - fifth one-day international: live Australia,England,fifth,oneday,international http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8271854/Australia-v-England-fifth-one-day-international-live.html

Australia v England: fifth one-day international report

Loss leader: Kevin Pietersen top scored for England but once his partnership with Ian Bell failed Australia were on course for victory Photo: GETTY IMAGES

England’s World Cup plans have taken another serious jolt after Ajmal Shahzad suffered a hamstring strain to join the lengthening list of injured bowlers on the eve of the tournament.

At least if Shahzad is in danger of missing the event there is a fit and in-form replacement in Chris Woakes, who took the second best one-day figures by an England bowler in Brisbane.

Woakes, the 21-year-old Warwickshire seamer, joined the front of the standby queue by taking six for 45 from 10 overs, providing the only highlight as Australia took an unbeatable 4-1 lead.

While the 51-run defeat was painful, the addition of Shahzad and Chris Tremlett to the growing casualty ward provided much greater concern for a touring party creaking just three weeks before the start of the World Cup.

Shahzad grabbed at his hamstring after stopping in his run-up while attempting to deliver the fourth ball of his eighth over, after Tremlett had been ruled out before the match with a “slight” side strain. Both players are due to undergo scans on Monday, but Andrew Strauss was already considering reinforcing the squad. “We’re beginning to run out of bowlers now,” the England captain said.

Stuart Broad definitely will not be considered for the final two games of the series even though he is with the squad as he continues his rehabilitation from a stomach tear gained during the second Ashes Test. Tim Bresnan (calf) and Graeme Swann (knee and back) have already been sent home, leaving James Anderson to work with a predominantly second-string unit. Finding a quick replacement is complicated by the England Lions being on tour in the West Indies, which is more than a day’s travel from Australia.

The bowling was by far the best aspect of England’s disappointing performance at the Gabba, with Woakes responsible for dismissing the hosts for 249 before the visitors’ meek reply of 198. Woakes replaced Michael Yardy to appear in only his second one-day international and impressed with his energy and lively pace. “It would have made it a lot sweeter if we had kept ourselves in the series,” Woakes said.

He struck almost instantly after replacing Shahzad when Shane Watson cut Woakes’s second ball to point, where Paul Collingwood accepted a sharp catch. The second wicket was the best of his collection, a sharp-lifting delivery which straightened off the pitch and forced Cameron White into an ugly defensive shot and an edge behind.

Woakes was immediately on target in each of his four spells, with David Hussey playing-on to the first ball of his third, and John Hastings and Brett Lee swinging unsuccessfully after Strauss saved Woakes for the final over of the innings. He also removed the captain Michael Clarke, who looked dangerous at times on the way to 54, his highest score since the Adelaide Test.

Clarke departed, leaving Australia at a wobbly 190 for six, after miscuing a pull that was taken by Strauss running in from cover. “It was just one of those days where the ball seemed to attract the fielders,” Woakes said. “Fortunately enough for myself I picked up six – on another day you get none.”

Woakes joined Collingwood as the only England bowlers to take six wickets in a one-day international. Collingwood, whose six for 31 came against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge in 2005, was also impressive with the ball, allowing only 36 runs from his 10 consecutive overs and picking up Shaun Marsh.

Steven Finn, who came in for Tremlett, was expensive on debut while Anderson recovered from some early punishment to control the end of the innings, giving away 13 in his final five overs to return one for 42. The total of 249 was not intimidating until England started badly, losing Strauss, Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott by the seventh over.

Kevin Pietersen (40) and Ian Bell (36) led a brief recovery during a stand of 73, but the match was settled when Australia snatched three wickets for eight runs to leave England at 103 for six at the halfway stage of the chase. Pietersen exited to a soft pull after being tricked by a slow short ball from Hastings, who then forced Bell to play on to one angling in.

A 53-run stand by Finn and Anderson, an England record for the final wicket, added some respectability but Strauss was unhappy with the overall performance. “We’ve fallen into bad habits in this series,” he said. “Twenties and thirties and soft dismissals, that’s been plaguing us all the way through and ultimately that’s what has lost us the series. We can’t hide away from it.”

A major problem for England is there is so little time before their first game of the World Cup against Holland on Feb 22. England have two matches against Australia, in Sydney on Wednesday and Perth on Sunday, and a couple of warm-ups in Bangladesh to patch up their bowling and achieve some batting consistency before the main event.

Australia v England: fifth one-day international report Australia,England,fifth,oneday,international,report http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8291120/Australia-v-England-fifth-one-day-international-report.html