London: Brett Lee routed England as Australia won the fourth match of the seven match NatWest series and took an unbeatable 4-0 lead in the series.

Lee scalped five wickets for 49 runs in 9 overs of accurate and hostile fast bowling as he dismantled the timber of four English batsmen with fast and straight yorkers. England were dismissed for 220 with 21 balls to spare and Australia chased down the total very comfortably in just 43.4 overs with 7 wickets in hand.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was playing his first match in the ODI series, made 48 and vice-captain Michael Clarke scored a brisk 62 not out to take Australia home safely after they had were given a good platform by opener Tim Paine who made 51.

Earlier, Lee produced a trio of 93mph-plus yorkers to clean bowl Matt Prior, Luke Wright, Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid, having previously dismissed Joe Denly. It was the ninth time the 32-year-old quick, out with a side injury at the start of the Ashes and unable to get back in during the remainder of England’s 2-1 triumph, had taken five wickets in an innings in 179 ODIs.

He was well-supported by off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, who took two wickets for 23 runs in 10 extremely miserly overs as England’s batting woes continued. England captain Andrew Strauss made 63 for the second consecutive time but yet England yet again saw a top order collapse with no other home batsman making more than Owais Shah’s 39.

England, who rested all-rounder Paul Collingwood and fast bowler James Anderson, were on course for a 7-0 whitewash in India late last year before the Mumbai terror attacks led to the suspension of their tour when they were 5-0 down. But barely a fortnight after their Ashes success, losing this series 7-0 is now a real possibility.

Strauss, who won a fourth straight toss, struck three boundaries in four balls off left-arm quick Nathan Bracken thanks to two cuts and a leg-glance. But Kent opener Denly, playing his first ODI against a Test opposition fell for 11 after edging Lee to first slip where Cameron White took a comfortable catch. Skipper Strauss completed a 48-ball fifth with eight fours.

Strauss, who also made 63 in England’s six-wicket loss at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, had said after that match, “When you are batting well you have to make hay, and I haven’t done that.” But he made the same mistake again as he top edged a sweep off Hauritz to Bracken.

Well, with Australia 4-0 ahead in the series, there is nothing much left for England to play for now. But they should still be looking to get some wins under their belt to go into the Champions Trophy with some confidence.

Brief Scores:

Australia 221 for 3 (Clarke 62*, Paine 51) beat England 220 (Strauss 63, Lee 5-49) by seven wickets

Man of the Match: Brett Lee

Tagged with: Andrew Strauss, Australia, Brett Lee, England, James Anderson, London, Michael Clarke, Nathan Hauritz, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Ricky Ponting, Tim Paine

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