Andrew Wu at Trent Bridge
No Brett Lee, no worries for Australia. On the back of a majestic century from captain Ricky Ponting the tourists made it five from five against England with a four-wicket success at Trent Bridge on Tuesday night.
Unlike the previous few matches, this win did not come without a few scares from the English, whose imposing total of 299 was overhauled with 10 balls to spare.
Australia appeared destined for a surprisingly comfortable win until Stuart Broad, its nemesis from the Ashes, removed Callum Ferguson and Ponting in the space of four balls in the 44th over.
The dismissal of Ponting, who made 126 off 109 balls, had the potential to derail Australia's chase but a nerveless contribution from Cameron White, with Mitchell Johnson riding shotgun, kept the Poms at bay.
With the asking rate hovering above a run a ball, the pair - aided by some schoolboy fielding from the hosts - added 41 to see the visitors home.
Ponting, whose dismissal set up a nerve-jangling finish, proved the major difference between the two sides.
In his second match from a short rest, Ponting's century underlined the importance of a major score from the top order after another catalogue of wasted innings from England.
The skipper shared a crucial 133-run stand with vice-captain Michael Clarke, who composed a polished 52, to tilt the game in Australia's favour.
The pair was united with their side struggling on 2-76 in the 15th over and gradually batted the home side out of the game with thoughtful strokeplay.
Ponting was reprieved by opposite number Andrew Strauss, who put down a red-hot chance at cover when the Australian was on 40. It proved very costly.
Indeed, England can rue an inglorious performance in the field.
Misfields off consecutive balls by Broad and Matt Prior in the 45th over yielded boundaries and released the pressure valve on the visitors.
A bolder effort with the bat, however, provided some encouragement for England.
An enterprising and at times spectacular 58 off 41 balls from Eoin Morgan ensured the hosts still managed a decent total.
Against an Australian attack missing the in-form Lee, who was rested to give Peter Siddle a game, all of England's top nine reached double figures but only Morgan posted a half-century.
Morgan's score was his highest for England, though he boasts an international century for his native Ireland.
It allowed the home side to crash 91 runs off the final 10 overs, including 49 from the last five.
Johnson copped the most stick, conceding an expensive 80 runs from his 10 overs, including 18 from the final over of the innings.
But England again lost wickets at regular intervals. Top-order quartet Strauss, Ravi Bopara, Joe Denly and Prior all lost their wickets through soft dismissals.
Nathan Hauritz collected the key wicket of Strauss and finished with 2-54 from 10 overs, while Nathan Bracken was tidy with 1-43 from eight.
Morgan was the catalyst for the acceleration in England's run rate, his innovative shots reaping three sixes and four boundaries.
The highlight of his contribution was a sweetly timed switch hit for four through fine leg off Bracken.