LEEDS, Sept 12: England captain Eoin Morgan led his side to a history-making three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth one-day international at Headingley today to tie the five-match series 2-2.
Morgan made 92 as England successfully chased a total of 300 for only the fourth time in one-day cricket to set up a series decider at Manchester�s Old Trafford on Sunday.
Overhauling the World Cup holders� 50-over total of 299-7 also surpassed the 270-4 England made in their previous highest one-day run chase in beating Australia in 1997.
Morgan made his third successive half-century as he shared a 91-run partnership with Ben Stokes and 58 with Yorkshire�s Jonny Bairstow as England held their nerve to get home with ten balls to spare in an exciting finish.
Glenn Maxwell�s superb catch at backward point denied Morgan a ninth ODI century as he fell after facing 92 balls and hitting eight fours and two sixes.
Maxwell then took an even better catch, taking the ball in mid-air behind the boundary before throwing it up and completing the catch to remove the hard-hitting Liam Plunkett for 17 when England still needed 18 to win.
SCORECARD
Australia: J Burns b Willey 2, A Finch c Bairstow b Willey 15, S Smith lbw Willey 5, G Bailey c and b Plunkett 75, G Maxwell b Ali 85, M Marsh c Willey b Plunkett 17, M Wade not out 50, M Stoinis c Rashid b Ali 4, J Hastings not out 34. Extras: (8lb, 3w, 1nb) 12. Total: (7wkts, 50 overs) 299. Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-25, 3-30, 4-167, 5-210, 6-210, 7-215. Bowling: Willey 8-0-51-3; Wood 9-0-65-0; Plunkett 8-0-47-2; Stokes 5-0-25-0; Rashid 10-0-63-0; Ali 10-0-40-2.
England: J Roy c Finch b Cummins 36, A Hales lbw Cummins 0, J Taylor c Wade b Marsh 41, E Morgan c Maxwell b Cummins 92, B Stokes b Marsh 41, J Bairstow c Wade b Maxwell 31, M Ali not out 21, L Plunkett c Maxwell b Cummins 17, D Willey not out 12. Extras: (3lb, 8w, 2nb) 13. Total: (7 wkts, 48.2 overs) 304. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 73-2, 89-3, 180-4, 238-5, 261-6, 282-7. Bowling: Pattinson 9-0-73-0; Cummins 10-0-49-4; Hastings 6.2-0-56-0; Marsh 9-0-52-2; Maxwell 10-0-54-1; Stoinis 4-0-17-0. � AFP
