The series will be on the line when England and Australia face off in the fifth and the final ODI at Old Trafford on Sunday. You can follow the live blog of this game on The Roar from 8:30 pm AEST.
When Australia went 2-0 up in the series, having won all but one of their previous 12 games against England, not too many expected the hosts to come back in a manner like this.
They have notched up two wins in a row since then, scoring 300 on both occasions and what makes it even sweeter is they have done it batting first and second respectively over the two games.
At Old Trafford in the third ODI, it was a slow turner of a track that assisted their spinners in running through the Aussie batsmen. At Headingley, David Willey grabbed the early initiative for them before their batsmen, led by Eoin Morgan, turned up the heat on what looked like a very inexperienced Australian bowling lineup.
Pat Cummins was a part of the World Cup-winning playing XI for Australia but the absence of support proved telling.
John Hastings looked out of his depth while James Pattinson went for far too many to help his captain to exert any kind of control on the opposition, leaving Australia stung by the positive English approach.
Come the final ODI, Australia will need to look to redo their XI again.
If the track at Old Trafford remains as slow as it did a few days ago in the third ODI, Ashton Agar could get a call-up. What remains to be seen is if they bring in Mitchell Starc again after he was rested from the fourth game.
England can be awfully proud of the way they have played in two ODI series now, the first against New Zealand resulted in a 3-2 win and they can now replicate the result in this second one.
Their bowlers pushed them into a position of great strength in the third ODI after the James Taylor century before Morgan and the rest of the middle-order pulled off an exciting win in the fourth.
What made that win even more special is that England haven’t had too many successful chases in ODI when the target has been more than 300 and that result could well be attributed to the change in their approach.
Come the final game, they could go in unchanged and that isn’t just restricted to their playing XI – the result could well hinge on whether they can continue playing with the same attitude.
Follow the live scores and blog of this fifth ODI between England and Australia from 8:30 pm AEST on Friday and post your comments in the section below.
Jameswm
Guest
It's called gamesmanship. Can't see anything wrong with it at all. DRS has brought in a whole new category of sledging.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Nice job Suneer. Enjoy your trip fella.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
I am done then. From a personal point of view, I had hoped for a better-fought Ashes series but neither side came back from tough situations in any of the games. Still was lovely live blogging about it as always, reading the comments and debates and adding my two-pence worth. I hope to see everyone around come the Bangladesh tour but till then I will be off in an endeavour to solve the Greek economic crisis over the next few weeks. Or probably just sip on a pina colada by the beach. Will make that call later. Ciao!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Both teams have interesting tours coming up in Asia. Pakistan should prove to be lot tougher to England than Bangladesh would to Australia but don't forget Bangladesh are a team on the rise. Especially in ODI cricket. And Australia have lost quite a few of their Test players - Warner, Rogers, Clarke, Watson, Haddin & Harris will all be missing from action. Will be interesting to see how the teams adapt to the conditions.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
End of a long, long tour. Not sure too many tours last as long as the Ashes these days (although the South Africa's tour of India come October will go on more than a couple of months). England will be extremely happy with the way it's gone. Not so long ago, things were looking awful for English cricket. The Kevin Pietersen saga continued to rage on, the World Cup had been an absolute disaster and Test series against West Indies and New Zealand were only tied after they had won the first game. Things looked to be following a similar script when they went 1-0 up against Australia and then were whipped at Lord's by more than 400 runs. Australia would have thought they had the Ashes in their grasp after that... ...but their inability to adapt to the green seamers led to their downfall and in turn, the retirement of Michael Clarke. Autralia looked like they should have won the one-off T20I but fell away gently towards the end and when they went from 2-0 up in the ODIs that followed to 2-2, it looked like they would be going home without silverware. Before they turned things around in fine style today.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia turned up well with the ball today. Started with a good call to continue playing John Hastings who began the bowling well, and then Mitchell Marsh broke the English backs with a four-wicket haul. Eoin Morgan's injury hurt them as well - he is said to be suffering from a concussion here. Chasing 140 was never going to be tough and they lost just two wickets in getting to the target, using up just 24.2 overs. Mitchell Marsh is the man-of-the-match. Marsh is also the man-of-the-series.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
And so the Ashes tour ends without a single thrilling match. Bit of a pity but there's still been some cracking cricket. Both teams in rebuilding mode in all formats but have plenty of promise.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Edged away for a four to end the game, series & the summer! Australia have won by eight wickets! Bailey was looking to cut it away, gets a toe end of the bat and it races away. Australia also take home the ODI series, winning it 3-2 after losing the Tests 3-2 & the one-off T20I.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Moeen concedes four from his fourth, which means Australia need just four more.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
10 from the Topley over, who has conceded 28 from his five. Eight more needed to win.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
On his pads and clipped away by Bailey. Comes off the pad and runs away for four leg-byes. 2/129 in the 23rd
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot! Four... ...Finch has sweeping them away really well and he repeats that off Moeen. Beats the fine-leg fielder. Wants to jog down the track and hit the next one over mid-off but mistimes it and it falls short of the deep fielder. 2/121 in 22 overs, with 10 coming from it. 18 needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six from the Topley over takes Australia to within 28 of the English target.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Topley was bowling slower in that over but there's one his normal pace and Finch has biffed it down the ground for a four. And then guides the next down to third-man for a single. 2/111 in 21.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Change in the bowling now. Reece Topley gets his first ball after the break. 2/105 in 20, 34 more needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot! Two fours to get to his 50... ..first ball, Moeen gets swept away by Finch and it's gone for a four. And two balls later he repeats that stroke to get to his milestone from just 47 balls. 2/104 in the 20th
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Three singles and a brace through backward point in the Rashid over. 43 more needed, as Finch has moved into the 40s now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Two singles from the Moeen over. 48 more needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Change in the bowling now. Moeen Ali replaces Wood. Australia need just 50 more.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Finch sweeps hard and finds the gap behind square, and Rashid is left wondering what's happening here. It was a decent delivery but Finch is in that kind of a mood now. Gets four... ...just five from it though. 2/89 in 17.