London: After letting England get off to a flyer in the series, Australia finally managed to pull one back.
Australia avoided the possibility of a series whitewash by beating England by 78 runs in the fourth one-day international at The Oval on Wednesday.
Ryan Harris took 5-32, Doug Bollinger 2-38 and Steven Smith 2-59 as England was bowled out for 212 in 42.4 overs, chasing Australia's challenging total of 290-5.
Michael Yardy was England's top scorer with 57 from 63 balls, including five fours, but the host lost wickets at regular intervals, with paceman Harris particularly impressive with the ball.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting said: "290 was always going to be difficult to chase. Ryan and the boys did really well with the ball. That sort of wicket probably suited the boys a bit more because it had more pace and bounce than some we've played on in this series."
Michael Clarke had been left stranded at the end of Australia's innings on 99 not out, a 106-ball knock that included seven fours, but was denied a century when Steven Smith (18 not out) faced the last five balls of the team's innings.
Clarke shared a third-wicket partnership of 155 with Ponting, who made 92 from 93 balls, including 10 fours.
"We didn't get enough things right," England captain Andrew Strauss said. "I think we thought we had a good chance of getting it (290) on a very flat wicket, but we just didn't get the batting right.
"We lost too many early wickets and that puts a lot of pressure on the middle order."
England, which now holds a 3-1 lead in the five-match series, won the toss and put Australia in to bat on a wicket that appeared typically helpful for batsmen. And for the first time in the series, the tourist failed to put on 50 for the first wicket.
Tim Paine made eight from 22 balls before his frustration induced a rash stroke off Tim Bresnan, with Eoin Morgan taking the catch at extra cover.
Graeme Swann claimed a wicket with his third delivery when Shane Watson (41), the other opener, again squandered a promising start by slog-sweeping straight to Morgan at deep mid-wicket in the 17th over, to the visible disgust of his captain.
That brought Clarke to the crease, and he and Ponting put on a vital stand for the third wicket after making the most of an escape for Clarke, who was on five when he hit a fierce drive that stung James Anderson's hands and was dropped.
Ponting scored his 13,000th run in ODIs with a single from Yardy in the 26th over, to warm applause from the crowd, before reaching his 50, from 56 balls, with two from Luke Wright four overs later.
Clarke reached his 50, from 61 balls, in the 35th over before Ponting finally perished in the 43rd as Australia tried to up the run rate. On the first ball of the powerplay, Ponting chipped a delivery from Anderson to England captain Andrew Strauss at extra over.
Cameron White (17) fell on the first ball of the 48th over when he hit a delivery by Stuart Broad, who was England's most economical bowler with figures of 1-46 off his 10 overs, straight to Anderson on the square-leg boundary.
Michael Hussey (1) was run out by Strauss in the next over, but Smith joined Clarke in the middle and hit successive boundaries of Anderson's last two deliveries.
Clarke began the final over on 98 - and scrambled a single off the first ball - but was stranded one run short of his hundred as Smith kept the strike and hit two further boundaries at the death.
When England began its chase, Watson dropped Strauss at first slip off Shaun Tait, when the Middlesex batsman was on 15. However, a series of early wickets soon saw Australia take control.
Harris bowled Craig Kieswetter (12) in the eighth over and Kevin Pietersen made just eight before he was trapped lbw to the same bowler two overs later.
Strauss, already fortunate to have survived a strong lbw shout from Harris, was finally caught behind off Tait for 37, in the 14th over, a wicket maiden. Paul Collingwood was then harshly given lbw to a ball from Smith that pitched outside off stump in the 20th over.
Morgan, who has starred for England this series, hit two successive sixes off Hopes at the start of the 27th over and, with Michael Yardy, put on 50 for the fifth wicket. But the Ireland-born Morgan was caught by Paine off Harris, leaving England in deep trouble on 140-5.
Wright made just 2 before he was bowled behind his legs by Smith five overs later, meaning England's two most dangerous middle-order batsmen were gone.
Yardy reached his maiden ODI fifty from 58 balls at the start of the 41st over, but Bresnan (22) was caught by Watson off Harris' next delivery.
Swann (1) was out in the next over, caught behind off Bollinger, who had Yardy caught by White at mid-on three balls later.
Harris wrapped up a comprehensive win when he had Broad (4) caught by White.
The series concludes at Lord's on Saturday.
