Aussies Take Series As England Fail Again

Needing only 14 runs from 18 balls with four wickets in hand, Nasser Hussain's team slumped to a five-run defeat.

That sealed the best-of-three finals for the Australians, who owed their comeback to the heroics of Brett Lee, who completed a five-wicket haul with three wickets for as many runs in seven balls.

Chasing 230 under lights, Alec Stewart and Michael Vaughan both scored half-centuries to leave the tourists well placed.

But from a position of strength at 216 for six, Lee's end-of-innings yorkers caused mayhem with the lower order.

Andrew Flintoff was first to go when Lee snaked a full-length delivery through his defence.

That ended a 34-run partnership with Paul Collingwood, who was left stranded at the non-striker's end in the last over.

Four balls after Flintoff's dismissal Ian Blackwell slashed to point where Damien Martyn flung himself forward to cling on.

Then, needing six off the last over, another Lee yorker removed Andrew Caddick's leg stump.

That exposed youngster James Anderson, who, having survived first ball when he charged Lee and watched wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist miss the stumps, succumbed in exactly the same manner.

At the start of England's innings, Lee and Brad Williams undermined the chase with three early wickets.

Umpires Russell Tiffin and Darrell Hair had already adjudged Marcus Trescothick not out when Shane Warne claimed a low catch at first slip off Williams, before the opener struck a Lee bumper straight down Andy Bichel's throat at third man.

Andrew Symonds judged a hook from Ronnie Irani off Williams to perfection.

Then, Symonds claimed another dismissal at short square leg when Nick Knight flicked Lee around the corner.

But Vaughan, who swept Brad Hogg for six to lift the tempo, ensured the rate required did not climb much beyond five runs an over.

Hussain, who made 28 from 50 balls, helped stabilise the innings but fell to an ugly drag across the line to Hogg's left-arm chinamen.

The momentum was developed further by Stewart, who attacked Shane Warne in particular, striking two of his five boundaries in one over.

Even when Vaughan went after mis-hitting to mid-wicket off Warne after a stand of 63, Stewart continued to carry the fight.

Warne swayed the game back Australia's way, though, when Stewart sliced to backward point.

Australia posted 229 for seven, with Hogg making an unbeaten 71 and Matthew Hayden hitting 69. Ronnie Irani took 3-46.