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SYDNEY - After three months on tour England have finally beaten Australia, keeping their tri-series finals hopes alive with a 92-run upset victory over the home side in the one-day international at the SCG on Friday.
Set 293 to win, Australia crumbled to be all out for 200 in 38.5 overs including 51 from Matthew Hayden, while Andrew Symonds retired hurt on 39.
The result leaves England equal with New Zealand on nine points while Australia are on 27 and guaranteed a spot in the best-of-three final series.
Australia will hope to regain skipper Ricky Ponting from a hip injury for Sunday's match against the Kiwis in Melbourne.
Symonds has suffered a bicep injury and is also in some doubt for Sunday.
England and New Zealand clash in the last round-robin match on Tuesday in Brisbane, with the best-of-three finals series starting in Melbourne on February 9.
England scored their highest total of the series, 7-292, led by man-of-the-match Ed Joyce's 107, his maiden one-day international century.
Opener Joyce shared a 111-run stand for the second wicket with Ian Bell (51).
Glenn McGrath (2-51) and debutant Shaun Tait (2-68) were Australia's only multiple wicket-takers, with 23-year-old Tait conceding nine of Australia's 19 wides.
In reply, Australia lost Adam Gilchrist first ball and Brad Hodge followed next over for one.
Hodge, replacing the injured Ponting tonight, has scored zero and one in his two appearances this series and is now in danger of missing a World Cup berth.
Michael Clarke (18) became Liam Plunkett's second victim before Symonds and Hayden added 71 off 50 balls for the fourth wicket.
Within the space of five overs Australia lost Hayden, closing specialist Mike Hussey (six) and Symonds, who hit four fours and one six.
Liam Plunkett (3-24) and Sajid Mahmood (2-38) led the way for England's pace attack.
Having lost five of their opening six matches, England knew the importance of today's match to their finals aspirations and started brilliantly after winning the toss and batting.
Dublin-born Joyce, who came into the England squad for the injured Kevin Pietersen, hit 10 fours and faced 142 balls before he was finally out at 5-256 in the 47th over.
The 28-year-old left-hander shared an opening stand of 58 with Mal Loye (29).
Loye's ambitious sweep-shot attempt off the bowling of McGrath in the 11th over ended badly with the right-hander struck flush on the chin.
After an on-field break for some icing on the wound, Loye was out next ball and taken to hospital where he was given three stitches.
Tait, who played two Tests on the 2005 Ashes tour, had a tough start to his one-day international career but did pick up the wickets of Joyce and wicketkeeper Paul Nixon (4) within five balls.
However Tait had given Joyce a life, dropping him on six at third man, and Symonds also spilled a difficult return catch when the Irishman was on 59.
"It's taken a while to come," England captain Andrew Flintoff said of beating Australia.
"I thought we played great tonight. It's a great feeling."
England had been quoted at odds of $7.00 by bookmakers to win.
- AAP
