Australia head home partially soothed by ODI series win

Michael Clarke’s team comfortably defended 298 all out under lights to take the NatWest Series 2-1 and perhaps soothe their Ashes and Champions Trophy disappointments on the long flight home.

They will be able to re-engage hostilities in the Ashes rematch in Brisbane with a notable win behind them, albeit not the one most coveted by themselves and England.

After Watson and Clarke (76) had ensured a par score on a quick and true pitch, England’s attempt at a ground-record run chase featured two costly run-outs – starting with another mix-up between openers Michael Carberry and Kevin Pietersen.

This time, unlike in the rain-wrecked match at Edgbaston last week, Pietersen was the fall guy.

Then, despite a 92-run stand between Ravi Bopara (62) and Jos Buttler, England could not get competitive on the way to 249 all out in 48 overs.

Watson and Clarke’s innings were on a different plane from what surrounded them in another often patchy Australia batting performance as Ben Stokes finished with a maiden one-day international five-wicket haul.

After Pietersen then went for a first-ball duck, however, England’s task was suddenly that much harder.

Called for a sharp single even before he could get his bearings after a loud appeal for lbw from Clint McKay, Pietersen was unable to beat Fawad Ahmed’s throw from short fine-leg.

Carberry helped Yorkshire’s Joe Root briefly re-establish England’s composure until he was second out, lbw to James Faulkner (three for 38) after a DRS overturn.

Root ultimately could not cope with the once more very impressive Mitchell Johnson’s express pace, and inside-edged a wide yorker-length ball on to his stumps.

Luke Wright became England’s second run-out victim, also for a duck, responding to a call from Eoin Morgan, and then the captain himself was stumped as Adam Voges floated the ball a little wider.

Bopara needed DRS on five to reverse an lbw decision, Hawk-Eye tracking the ball from Voges to miss leg stump.

But when Buttler and he both went in powerplay, respectively bowled by Faulkner’s change of angle and well caught at extra-cover off Johnson, England had left Stokes too much to do with the tail.

Scoreboard on facing page