Cricket: Record run chase stuns England

Captain Andrew Strauss admitted England's injury crisis had left him a bowler short as Australia completed their highest-ever run chase to win the sixth one-day international in Sydney by two wickets.

Jonathan Trott hit a career-best 137, from 126 balls, to play the lead role in stifling heat as England cast their recent batting woes aside to post 333 for six.

But it was not enough as a depleted bowling line-up allowed Australia, led by 82 from their under-fire acting captain Michael Clarke, to run down their record chase with four balls to spare.

It was a morale-sapping defeat for England made worse by a back injury Paul Collingwood suffered as he attempted to heave the last ball of the innings which prevented him from bowling.

With Collingwood filling an unfamiliar fifth bowlers' role due to England's injury problems, it was left to Trott and Kevin Pietersen to make up the lost ten overs. It proved costly as they conceded 72 runs between them to allow Australia to maintain their blazing start, after opener Shane Watson hit 51 from 34 balls.

"At the moment we are a bit short on bowlers full stop," said Strauss, after news during the game that quicks Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) were set to fly home tomorrow due to injury. They join Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf) in leaving the tour early. Strauss is likely to have more options when the World Cup starts later this month, with all of his bowlers due to be fit in time for the February 22 opener against Holland.

"We are going to have to decide what the best way of winning games out on the sub-continent is," he added.

"The likelihood is there are going to be two spinners involved and that allows you to play with six bowlers."

Strauss blamed the batsmen after they conceded the series with a 51-run reverse in Brisbane but, after Trott anchored a cohesive batting performance, he was left to lament another defeat which leaves England 5-1 behind heading into the final match of the series in Perth on Sunday.

Bowling: Lee 9 1 66 1, Tait 10 0 59 2, Johnson 6 0 43 1, Hastings 7 0 48 0, Hussey 4 0 25 0, Smith 7 0 40 1, Clarke 1 0 7 0, Watson 6 0 40 1.

Australia

SR Watson c Strauss b Yardy 51

BJ Haddin c Trott b Anderson 20

CJ Ferguson run out 46

MG Johnson st Prior b Pietersen 57

MJ Clarke run out 82

CL White c Morgan b Finn 20

DJ Hussey c Prior b Finn 38

SPD Smith run out 0

JW Hastings not out 7

B Lee not out 2

Extras (w11) 11

Total (8 wkts,49.2 overs) 334

Fall: 1-71, 2-87, 3-166, 4-194, 5-224, 6-314, 7-317, 8-327. Bowling: Woakes 9.2 0 73 0, Anderson 10 0 91 1, Finn 10 0 51 2, Yardy 10 0 47 1, Pietersen 6 0 43 1, Trott 4 0 29 0.

Australia won by two wickets