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| | GEO Sports | | Australia beat England by four wkts in 5th ODI | Updated at: 0406 PST, Wednesday, September 16, 2009
NOTTINGHAM: Ricky Ponting kept alive Australia's hopes of a 7-0 whitewash of their one-day series against England with a captain's knock that led his side to a four-wicket victory in the fifth match at Trent Bridge.
Ponting scored 126 off 109 balls, including three sixes and 14 fours, as Australia reached 6-302 with 10 balls to spare in reply to England's total of 299 from their 50 overs.
He was well supported by deputy Michael Clarke, who reached 52 off 64.
Eoin Morgan's maiden half-century steered England to their best score of the series in a dead rubber after Australia clinched the series 4-0 at Lord's on Saturday.
Mitchell Johnson brought up the winning runs with a six off Ryan Sidebottom to remain unbeaten on 18, while Cameron White was not out 24.
Ponting signalled his intentions early when he hit a huge six straight down the ground off the bowling of Sidebottom to move to 15.
He brought up his half-century with a four off Dimitri Mascarenhas and after Clarke also reached the milestone, the skipper hit consecutive sixes off Adil Rashid.
Clarke fell a short time later pulling a Rashid delivery to Owais Shah at deep square leg.
Michael Hussey ended a frustrating day when he was caught by Sidebottom off Mascarenhas for just six.
When Callum Ferguson (17) fell lbw to Stuart Broad and Ponting's stellar innings came to an end when he lofted Broad to Shah at long-off, there were two new batsman at the crease with Australia needing to score at just over a run a ball.
But White and Johnson set about their task with determination to push Australia over the line.
The tourists rested Brett Lee, who claimed five wickets in the previous match, replacing him with fellow paceman Peter Siddle.
England brought in Mascarenhas for Luke Wright, who was hit on the toe on Monday while batting against a bowling machine set to mimic Lee's inswinging yorkers which proved so effective last weekend.
Declared fit after being struck on the head by a ball from paceman Graham Onions in the nets shortly before the match, Andrew Strauss won a fifth straight toss.
The England captain reached 35 off 38 deliveries but he was trapped lbw by Nathan Hauritz.
Other England players to make starts were Ravi Bopara (18), Joe Denly (45), Matthew Prior (37) and Shah (31) but it was former Ireland batsman Morgan who starred for his adopted country.
Playing just his sixth one-day international for England, he smashed 58 off 41 balls, bringing up his 50 with a six off Nathan Bracken, the third time the batsman cleared the fence.
Morgan should have been out for 38 when he hit a Shane Watson delivery to deep square leg, where Hussey juggled the ball so many times before grassing the catch it was comical to all but the Australians.
There was some consolation for Watson five balls later when he had Mascarenhas (19) caught by Johnson for 19.
Broad contributed 22 off 20 deliveries before being run out by a direct hit from Ponting, firing the ball in from mid-off.
Morgan's innings came to an end when he attempted a reverse sweep off Bracken and sent a top edge to Siddle at point.
Rashid (18) was run out by Tim Paine on the last ball of the innings, leaving Sidebottom unbeaten on three. |  |
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