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12-Sep-2009 17:00:00 GMT
England v Australia, 4th ODI, Lord's

Lee Helps Aussies Clinch Series Against England

London: Brett Lee took five wickets as Australia beat England by 7-wickets at Lord's on Saturday and lead 7-match series by 4-0.

A comfortable win for Australia in the fourth ODI at Lords as they cruised their way to the target of 221 with 6.2 overs to spare. The visitors never looked in any sort of trouble as Tim Paine (51), Ricky Ponting (48) and Michael Clarke (62*) milted runs at ease.

England's lethargic bowling effort didn't do them any good. So Australia now have clinched the series 4-0 with three games still to be played and I won't bet against them to sweep the series with a 7-0 whitewash.

Brett Lee is undoubtedly named Man of the Match for his 5-wicket haul. He put on display a brilliant effort of fast bowling today where he bamboozled the English batsmen with his sheer pace and lethal yorkers.

Earlier, Brett Lee took five wickets as Australia bowled England out for 220. 

Fast bowler Lee, who produced three superb 93mph plus yorkers to see off Matt Prior, Luke Wright and Stuart Broad, finished with five wickets for 49 runs from nine overs.

It was the ninth time the 32-year-old quick, injured at the start of the Ashes and unable to force his way back in during the rest of a Test series England won 2-1, had taken five wickets in 179 ODIs, the third time against England and the second at Lord's.

He was well-supported by off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, who took two wickets for 23 runs in 10 miserly overs as England's run-rate nosedived.

England captain Andrew Strauss made 63 for the second time in as many matches but again, as has been the pattern throughout the series, saw the rest of the top order fail to fire.

No other England batsman made more than Owais Shah's 39.

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.

This match saw England recall Denly and the fit-again Broad in place of the rested Paul Collingwood and James Anderson while leg-spinner Rashid came in for dropped off-spinner Graeme Swann.

World champions Australia made one change with captain Ricky Ponting, back from his post Ashes break, replacing James Hopes.

Brief Score
England: 220 (Strauss 63, Lee 5-49)
Australia: 221 for 3 (Clarke 62*, Paine 51)
Results: Australia won 7-wickets
Man of the match: Brett Lee (Australia)
Status: Australia lead 7-match series by 4-0


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