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Australia stroll to ODI series win with seven-wicket thrashing

Australia chase down 244 with 10 overs to spare and seven wickets remaining to stroll to a seven-wicket win at Sydney and wrap up the ODI series against England.

Australia inflicted another hammering on England by cruising to a seven-wicket victory at Sydney to clinch the one-day international series with two games to spare.

England needed to win at the SCG to avoid falling to an unassailable 3-0 deficit in the five-match format, but were emphatically outplayed after choosing to bat.

Eoin Morgan was again the standout performer, hitting two sixes in a knock of 54 which came off only 58 balls, but his failure to kick on to a big score was symbolic of the whole of the tourists' batting effort.

All of the top six reached 15 before giving their wickets away in the process of England limping to 197-7 and although Tim Bresnan struck a quickfire 41 not out, their total of 243-9 was well below par.

Wickets were shared around for the Aussies, with the hero of Melbourne, James Faulkner, and the recalled Dan Christian picking up two each and Nathan Coulter-Nile leading the way with 3-47 from his 10 overs.

Chris Jordan continued to be one of England's few positives and he broke Australia's opening partnership when he had Aaron Finch caught by Ravi Bopara for 22, but David Warner and Shaun Marsh took the game away from Alastair Cook's side in rapid fashion.

Warner made 71 at pretty much a run a ball before Bopara took another catch, this time off the bowling of Ben Stokes, but Michael Clarke came in and increased the run rate further with 34 off 28 balls before Bopara claimed a wicket himself, nipping one back in between the Aussie skipper's gate.

Brad Haddin was promoted up the order and he and Marsh, who finished unbeaten on 71, chased down their modest target with 10 overs to spare to claim the limited-overs bragging rights to go with their Ashes whitewash and leave England still winless on their tour Down Under.

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Joe Fish
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James Faulkner and Clint McKay of Australia celebrate victory after the second game of the One Day International Series between Australia and England at The Gabba on January 17, 2014
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