Poms hold nerves to win cliffhanger and clinch series
After electing to bowl and restricting Australia to a meager 212, England were coasting to victory at 185/3 but a sudden burst from the Aussie bowlers almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat but Bresnan held his nerve to help England scrape through.
Needing to win to stay alive in the series, Aussie openers started off well, adding 54 runs in the Quick Start Overs, followed by 22/1 in the Bowling Powerplay. But Watson’s wicket in the 27th over, sparked off a collapse for the third successive time in the series, as the Aussies collapsed from 130/2 to 212 all out. Shane Watson top-scored with 61 from 76 balls, with 5 fours and 2 sixes, finishing with a Batting Momentum of 73, scoring his 17th ODI Fifty. Graeme Swann ran through the side with 4/37 in 10 overs, picking up his second four-wicket ODI haul, earning a Bowling Efficiency of 324 while James Anderson supported him well with 3/22 in 8 overs, gaining a Bowling Efficiency of 327. 
England lost Kieswetter for a golden duck in the very first over, but three successive solid partnerships saw them well on the course for a victory at 185/3 but like what happened to Australia, a dramatic collapse ensued as the English slipped to 203/9 needing 10 off the last 2 overs. However, calm and cool Bresnan saw his side through in the final over of the game. Andrew Strauss top-scored with 87 from 121 balls, with 8 fours, scoring his 20th ODI Fifty, earning a Batting Momentum of 97. For Australia, Tait and Bollinger picked up 3 wickets apiece keeping Australia in the game with Bowling Efficiencies of 321 and 450 respectively.
In spite of losing the game Australia finished on top, with a Castrol Index of 157 to England’s 148, due to their late burst. England won all the close moments but the only department where they lagged behind was the Quick Start Overs, where Australia did well with both, bat and ball. GRAEME SWANN was named the MAN-OF-THE-MATCH for his 4/37 in 10 overs, finishing with an Overall Castrol Index of 370. The series has now become a dead rubber with England leading the 5-match series 3-0 but the teams will be playing for pride in the fourth and fifth games, the first of which, will be played on Wednesday, the 30th of June, 2010 at 1200 GMT.
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