<p>Victory saw Australia go 5-0 up in the seven-match series as they stayed on course to whitewash their oldest foes. Set a seemingly challenging 300, master batsman Ponting’s 126 -- his best ODI score against England, surpassing the 119 he made at Melbourne in 2002 -- took Australia to within sight of victory.<br /><br />They still needed 39 off 36 balls after Stuart Broad had struck twice in the 44th over, Callum Ferguson plumb lbw and Ponting driving to Owais Shah at long-off.<br /><br />But Cameron White and Mitchell Johnson, who ended the match with a six off Ryan Sidebottom saw them home with 10 balls to spare.<br /><br />England’s batting had repeatedly failed this series.<br /><br />But here they made 299 -- and still it wasn’t enough.<br /><br />Former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan top-scored with 58 -- his best for his adopted country. But Ponting, who shared a third-wicket stand of 133 with vice-captain Michael Clarke (52), showed how hundreds, not fifties, win games.<br /><br />Ponting was soon into his stride and struck a huge straight six off left-arm quick Sidebottom. But on 40 he was dropped by opposing captain Andrew Strauss, a drive off leg-spinner Adil Rashid skimming the England skipper’s fingers at short extra-cover on its way to the boundary.<br /><br />SCORE BOARD<br /><br />England<br /><br />Strauss lbw b Hauritz 35<br />Denly c Hussey b Johnson 45<br />Bopara c Hauritz b Watson 18<br />Prior st Paine b Hauritz 37<br />Shah c Paine b Johnson 31<br />Morgan c Siddle b Bracken 58<br />Mascarenhas c Johnson b Watson 19<br />Broad (run out) 22<br />Rashid (run out) 18<br />Bresnan c Bracken b Siddle 4<br />Sidebottom (not out) 3<br /><br />Extras (LB-1, W-6, NB-2) 9<br />Total (all out, 50 overs) 299<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-95, 3-105, 4-165, 5-192, 6-230, 7-267, 8-272, 9-278, 10-299.<br /><br />Bowling: Siddle 10-1-50-1, Bracken 8-1-43-1, Johnson 10-0-80-0, Watson 10-0-60-2, Hauritz 10-0-54-2, Clarke 2-0-11-0.<br /><br />Australia<br /><br />Watson c Mascarenhas b Bresnan 36<br />Paine c Rashid b Bresnan 16<br />Ponting c Shah b Broad 126<br />Clarke c Shah b Rashid 52<br />Hussey c S’bottom b Mascarenhas 6<br />Ferguson lbw b Broad 17<br />White (not out) 24<br />Johnson (not out) 18<br /><br />Extras (B-1, W-6) 7<br />Total (for 6 wkts, 48.2 overs) 302<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-76, 3-209, 4-226, 5-255, 6-261. <br /><br />Bowling: Broad 9-0-57-2, Sidebottom 9.2-0-43-0, Bresnan 10-0-76-2, Mascarenhas 10-0-49-1, Rashid 7-0-55-1, Bopara 3-0-21-0.</p>
<p>Victory saw Australia go 5-0 up in the seven-match series as they stayed on course to whitewash their oldest foes. Set a seemingly challenging 300, master batsman Ponting’s 126 -- his best ODI score against England, surpassing the 119 he made at Melbourne in 2002 -- took Australia to within sight of victory.<br /><br />They still needed 39 off 36 balls after Stuart Broad had struck twice in the 44th over, Callum Ferguson plumb lbw and Ponting driving to Owais Shah at long-off.<br /><br />But Cameron White and Mitchell Johnson, who ended the match with a six off Ryan Sidebottom saw them home with 10 balls to spare.<br /><br />England’s batting had repeatedly failed this series.<br /><br />But here they made 299 -- and still it wasn’t enough.<br /><br />Former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan top-scored with 58 -- his best for his adopted country. But Ponting, who shared a third-wicket stand of 133 with vice-captain Michael Clarke (52), showed how hundreds, not fifties, win games.<br /><br />Ponting was soon into his stride and struck a huge straight six off left-arm quick Sidebottom. But on 40 he was dropped by opposing captain Andrew Strauss, a drive off leg-spinner Adil Rashid skimming the England skipper’s fingers at short extra-cover on its way to the boundary.<br /><br />SCORE BOARD<br /><br />England<br /><br />Strauss lbw b Hauritz 35<br />Denly c Hussey b Johnson 45<br />Bopara c Hauritz b Watson 18<br />Prior st Paine b Hauritz 37<br />Shah c Paine b Johnson 31<br />Morgan c Siddle b Bracken 58<br />Mascarenhas c Johnson b Watson 19<br />Broad (run out) 22<br />Rashid (run out) 18<br />Bresnan c Bracken b Siddle 4<br />Sidebottom (not out) 3<br /><br />Extras (LB-1, W-6, NB-2) 9<br />Total (all out, 50 overs) 299<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-95, 3-105, 4-165, 5-192, 6-230, 7-267, 8-272, 9-278, 10-299.<br /><br />Bowling: Siddle 10-1-50-1, Bracken 8-1-43-1, Johnson 10-0-80-0, Watson 10-0-60-2, Hauritz 10-0-54-2, Clarke 2-0-11-0.<br /><br />Australia<br /><br />Watson c Mascarenhas b Bresnan 36<br />Paine c Rashid b Bresnan 16<br />Ponting c Shah b Broad 126<br />Clarke c Shah b Rashid 52<br />Hussey c S’bottom b Mascarenhas 6<br />Ferguson lbw b Broad 17<br />White (not out) 24<br />Johnson (not out) 18<br /><br />Extras (B-1, W-6) 7<br />Total (for 6 wkts, 48.2 overs) 302<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-76, 3-209, 4-226, 5-255, 6-261. <br /><br />Bowling: Broad 9-0-57-2, Sidebottom 9.2-0-43-0, Bresnan 10-0-76-2, Mascarenhas 10-0-49-1, Rashid 7-0-55-1, Bopara 3-0-21-0.</p>