Jos Buttler produced a typically-devastating limited-overs hundred as Australia were set 303 on a stop-start Sydney pitch to stay in the Gillette Series.
England’s batting effort contained similar characteristics to the surface until Buttler was joined by the in-form Chris Woakes in an extraordinary unbroken seventh wicket stand of 113 runs inside 12 overs.
The late innings assault saw Buttler twice power Pat Cummins for six in a penultimate over that cost 24 runs and then reach his fifth one-day international with two from the last ball of the innings.
Jos Buttler celebrates bringing up his hundred off the final ball of England’s innings
The England wicketkeeper removes his helmet after compiling the slowest of his four ODI tons
Buttler and Chris Woakes shared an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 113 runs inside 12 overs
Having successfully reviewed a leg-before decision from the first delivery of the final over, sent down by Mitchell Starc, the England wicketkeeper-batsman lost the strike to Woakes, who hammered a hook over the rope at long leg to reach his own landmark – a stunning 35-ball 50 – before jabbing down on a full ball for a single.
When Buttler bunted a full toss into the on-side for two it brought up the slowest of his ODI hundreds to date – off 83 balls – but may prove gold dust in the circumstances.
For this was the most challenging pitch that England have encountered so far. To the extent that they were struggling for momentum on 116-4 at the halfway stage following Steve Smith’s decision to change tactics.
Having batted first in the two opening defeats, Smith invited his full-strength bowling attack to pull things back for the world champions.
Buttler smacks into the leg side during his innings of 100 not out from 83 balls at the SCG
Chris Woakes reached 52 from 36 balls as he helped England to a total of 302 for six
England captain Eoin Morgan hit 41 as England toiled in the opening part of their innings
However, England raced out of the blocks once again, rattling to 29 without loss after just four overs with Starc particularly profligate in his search for swing.
Indeed, it was Smith’s decision to withdraw the left-armer at that point that helped the home team get control of the run rate.
With a modus operandi of hitting the pitch hard, Cummins began with a maiden and the increased pressure told when Jason Roy drove to short extra-cover at the end of Cummins’ second over.
And when Alex Hales mishit to mid-on off in the 10th over it was clear that this was not a 300-run surface.
Joe Root helped reset the tempo in tandem with Jonny Bairstow but chopped on to the returning Josh Hazlewood – his first dismissal of the series – four overs after losing his third-wicket partner.
It meant a second rebuilding job of the innings was required between Buttler and England captain Eoin Morgan.
Joe Root scored 27 before he got out for the first time in this five-match ODI series
Josh Hazlewood got the England Test captain to chop onto his stumps when he looked set
The pair struck sixes apiece in consecutive Marcus Stoinis overs to bring up the 50-run partnership in 60 deliveries but once again England lost a wicket just as they appeared ready to launch something more adventurous – Morgan’s second indeterminate poke in as many innings providing Hazlewood with a breakthrough from the first ball of a new spell.
Such has been his poor form that Moeen Ali enjoyed a life in contributing just six – Cameron White fluffing a skier before a similar hack at Mitchell Marsh cannoned the ball into the top off off-stump.
Crucially, though, it brought Woakes – whose unbeaten cameo of 39 took England over the line in Brisbane – to the crease.
Seldom can the Warwickshire all-rounder have timed the ball so sweetly as this current series and a sign of his touch came when he followed Buttler’s flat six off Hazlewood’s final delivery by slugging the next, from Cummins, into the stands at midwicket.
Australia made four changes for what for their must-win game, reuniting their three-pronged pace attack of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins with the recalls of the latter two and re-shaping the balance of their attack by sacrificing the out-of-form Travis Head to reintroduce leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
And Tim Paine returned after illness behind the stumps.