Cricket: Aussie win puts focus on Ashes

Australia's Adam Gilchrist celebrates his century during the final match of their one-day series against England at the Oval. Picture / Reuters

LONDON - Australia have farewelled three of their most convincing performers this Ashes tour, but the same cannot be said of the new one-day rules being trialled.

Australia completed their limited-overs leg with a barnstorming eight-wicket victory over England at the Oval to win the three-match series 2-1 and take a 3-2 overall advantage before the real stuff begins.

With the focus now on the Ashes, one-day players Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, Brad Hogg and Shane Watson will leave the squad and be replaced by test squad members Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Brad Hodge, Stuart MacGill and Shaun Tait.

Symonds, Hussey and Hogg were three of their side's best limited-overs performers in 10 clashes against England and Bangladesh.

Symonds returned brilliantly from a two-game suspension to claim the tri-series player of the tournament award, while Hussey's steadiness in the middle order surely must have him part of Australia's plans for the 2007 World Cup.

Hussey's 273 runs at an average of 91 continued his outstanding start to his international career and after 15 one-day matches he has been dismissed just three times and is averaging 129.

Symonds struck 229 runs at 57.25 and bowled with great versatility. His medium pacers were tidy while his off-breaks earned him a career-best five for 18 against Bangladesh at Old Trafford.

Hogg took 11 wickets with his left-arm wrist-spin, at an average of 17.90.

The trio did not have as great an impact during the three-match series against England, where new fielding restrictions and substitution rules were trialled.

The fielding restrictions, where captains could choose when they wanted to apply two five-over blocks of having the field up, had little bearing.

The only substitution to have any effect was England's introduction of batsman Vikram Solanki, who replaced bowler Simon Jones at the Oval. Solanki made 53 not out after being sent in at 93 for six.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said the trial - in place over the next 10 months - had not had enough impact to have any influence.

"I'm not saying [they are] bad, but I'm just not convinced about it because we haven't played enough with it yet," he said.

England skipper Michael Vaughan also had doubts.

- AAP