Shahzad forced to fly home as injury-hit England fail to defend record one-day score in Sydney

Jonathan Trott hit a career-best 137, from 126 balls, to play the lead role in stifling heat as England cast their recent batting woes aside to post 333-6, their highest score against their hosts in Australia.

But it was not enough as a depleted bowling line-up allowed Australia, led by 82 from under-fire acting captain Michael Clarke, to run down their record chase with four balls to spare.

It was a morale-sapping defeat for England made worse by a back injury to Paul Collingwood which was suffered attempting to heave the final ball of the innings and prevented him from bowling.

With Collingwood already filling an unfamiliar fifth bowler’s role due to England’s injury problems, it was left to Trott and Kevin Pietersen – who also briefly left the field after rolling his ankle – to make up the lost 10 overs.

It proved costly as they conceded 72 runs between them to allow Australia to maintain their blazing start, after opener Shane Watson hit 51 from 34 balls.

“At the moment we are a bit short on bowlers full stop,” said Strauss, after news during the game that Yorkshire’s Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and fellow pace bowler Chris Tremlett (side) were set to fly home due to injury.

They join Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf) in leaving the tour early.

Strauss added: “We have been forced into (playing a bowler light) right at the moment. It’s not ideal, I need five bowlers, there is no doubt.

“Ideally you will have six bowlers at your disposal; five specialists and a Collingwood-type bowler.”

Strauss is likely to have more options when the World Cup starts later this month, with all of his bowlers due to be fit in time for the February 22 opener against Holland.

“We are going to have to decide what the best way of winning games out on the sub-continent is,” he added.

“The likelihood is there are going to be two spinners involved and that allows you to play with six bowlers.”

Strauss blamed the batsmen after they conceded the series with a 51-run reverse in Brisbane, but after Trott anchored a cohesive batting performance he was left to lament another defeat which leaves England 5-1 behind heading into the final match of the series in Perth on Sunday.

“It’s very frustrating because it was a top-notch batting performance all-round,” said Strauss.

“For Trotty to bat through the innings in that sort of heat was an outstanding performance, it was a monumental innings. He deserved to be on the winning side.

“We weren’t helped with Paul Collingwood not being able to bowl his 10 overs, but ultimately we allowed them to get off to far too fast a start with the new ball.”

Strauss also revealed that Collingwood’s injury could rule him out of the final match in Perth. “He had a back spasm so he couldn’t walk very well and he certainly couldn’t bowl.”

Trott’s century was his second of the series and his fourth of a rich tour of Australia with the bat.

The right-hander may not have been regarded as an automatic selection in England’s one-day team before the series, but he is now set to head into the World Cup as the in-form batsman.

“I don’t think it’s about proving anyone wrong, it’s about proving to yourself more than anything,” said Trott, who was forced to call a runner soon after bringing up his milestone after he started to cramp in the heat.

“I’ve always felt I can contribute towards the team in one-day cricket and all forms of the game.

“It’s nice to be able to do it but it feels better when you are winning games.”

Clarke has silenced a number of his critics in the past two games with back-to-back half-centuries, having been booed to the crease during Sunday’s win at the Gabba.

But after receiving a rousing reception from his home-town crowd, Clarke produced the decisive innings as he hit 82 from 70 balls.

Scoreboard: Page 20.