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Brisbane: James Faulkner's late heroics powered Australia to a thrilling one-wicket victory over England in the second one-day international in Brisbane on Friday.
Eoin Morgan struck a sparkling 106 to power England to a commanding 300 for eight, giving the tourists strong hopes of securing their first win over Australia on the tour.
All had fallen in England's favour when they posted 8-300 from their 50 overs and reduced Australia to 9-244 in the 44th over, facing an unlikely target of 57 to win from 36 balls with the last pair standing.
But Faulkner, who had been forced to watch Australia's memorable Ashes moments from a distance having been named 12th man for each of the five Tests, decided it was his turn to inflict some pain.
He unleashed some brutal hitting against some England bowling that started to lose its shape and then ultimately lost the plot as the Tasmanian allrounder bludgeoned an unbeaten 69 from 47 balls to get Australia home.
Faulkner and Clint McKay put on 66 from just 33 balls including five huge sixes from the former and – fittingly – three consecutive boundaries off Tim Bresnan's final over to seal the win.
The euphoria of the Australian players who rushed the field to embrace their new hero and formed a guard of honour to cheer him from the ground contrasted darkly with the disbelief on the faces of England's players who must have felt that today was the day it all changed.
In fairness, those who place faith in – if not wagers on – the vicissitudes of sporting fortune would have suggested this was finally to be England's day inside its second hour when batsman Eoin Morgan was granted a double reprieve in the space of as many balls.
Morgan – who narrowly missed being run out backing up too far and was then caught off a no-ball caused by Australia having too many fielders outside the perimeter circle – went on to blast a match-defining 106 from 99 balls.
Just the second international century of England's tour, after Ben Stokes' counter-punching innings in the third Test in Perth, it lifted England to a 50-over total of 8-300 – only the third time on tour the tourists have posted 300 against Australia.
And even that milestone came as an unexpected bonus, with the tally being upgraded from 8-296 during the innings interval after it was deemed that Shaun Marsh's brave attempt at preventing a six – by launching himself skywards behind the boundary rope and bunting the ball back into the field of play – was deemed a wasted if innovative effort.
If those instances didn't provide sufficient evidence that fortune's cycle had completed a half revolution then the start of Australia's run chase seemed to close the case.
Aaron Finch, on the back of a century in the series opener in Melbourne last Sunday, fell for a third-ball duck when his lofted off-drive lodged into the upraised right hand of Gary Ballance who gave the laconic appearance of someone half-heartedly hailing an already occupied taxi.
Bear in mind that it was Ballance who had allowed Finch to slip through England's butter-fingers at the MCG when, employing both hands, he was unable to hold a regulation catch in the same fielding position, off the same bowler to the self-same shot.
Two overs later, that bowler – Chris Jordan – plucked an even better grab when David Warner teed off at an attempted yorker and stood in disbelief when it stuck in the right claw that Jordan had reflexively thrust towards it.
At that stage, it appeared that had England used the one-handed catching method during the Test series it might well have retained both hands on the urn.
Certainly the game seemed in their keeping and the five-match series back on an even keel as part-time spinner Joe Root bobbed up to capture the crucial scalps of Michael Clarke (caught cutting for 24) and newly-installed number three Shaun Marsh (bowled cutting for 55).
In addition, George Bailey appeared to suffer a leg injury in the course of compiling an unconvincing 24 from 28 balls which might have greater significance for Australia's Test touring party to South Africa being named this week and the upcoming outings of the Twenty20 team of which he is skipper.
But just as the Pimm's lids were being unscrewed to toast a drought-breaking win, the England of weeks past suddenly re-appeared albeit clad in their scarlet one-day garb.
Seemingly lost in unfamiliar territory and panicked by some very familiar Australian middle-order resistance involving Brad Haddin, England's bowlers offered up serve after serve of full toss, long-hop and utter dross.
This played into the hands of Glenn Maxwell whose never-to-be-doubted assuredness contrasted starkly with the tourists' diminishing self-belief.
Three consecutive boundaries from audacious reverse sweeps off Root were followed by an outrageous tennis-style smash over extra cover and when Australia opted to take their batting power play their victory equation was a highly feasible 123 runs from 108 balls with five wickets in hand.
Suddenly, it seemed the recent talent of Alastair Cook's men for making every post a loser was about to push new boundaries.
But when the skipper back-pedalled to hold a pressure catch off Haddin (26) and Maxwell (54) ill-advisedly opted for a conventional swat that failed to clear mid-on the series-levelling win was clearly in view and almost within reach.
They now have just two days to bury their disappointment before the third match of the five-game series, which Australia leads two-nil, is played in Sydney on Sunday.
Earlier, England have won the toss and have opted to bat.
England have gone in with an unchanged side from the Melbourne ODI
Australia have made two changes. Xavier Doherty has been dropped to make room for Mitchell Johnson, who had a rest from the first game and Shane Watson is also taking a break - his place has been taken by Shaun Marsh.
Teams:
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke (Capt.), George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin (wk), James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint McKay
England: Alastair Cook (Capt.), Ian Bell, Joe Root, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Tim Bresnan, Chris Jordan, Boyd Rankin
Brief scores
England: 8 for 300 (Morgan 106, Bell 68)
Australia: 9 for 301 (Faulkner 69*, Marsh 55, Maxwell 54)
Result: Australia won by 1 wicket (with 3 balls remaining)
MOM: James Faulkner (Australia)
