England Cricket / Editor / 02 February 2007 /

England have given themselves a lifeline in their attempts to make the Commonwealth Bank series finals, after a 92-run victory over Australia in Sydney.

The tourists picked their first success over the home side in the tour Down Under, with Ed Joyce firing a century in a much improved England display.

After winning the toss, Andrew Flintoff decided to bat first and England made their biggest total of the series with Joyce (107) and Ian Bell (51) helping them reach 292-7 in their 50 overs.

Australia got their innings off to the worst possible start, with Liam Plunkett bowling Adam Gilchrist with the very first delivery.

Only Matthew Hayden (51) made any major contribution with the bat as Australia could only muster 200 in 38.5 overs, with Andrew Symonds forced to retire through injury.

Plunkett was the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of 3-24, while Sajid Mahmood took two scalps and there was one wicket apiece for Flintoff, Monty Panesar and Ravi Bopara.

The victory came with a bonus point for England and, despite it being only their second win of the series, it keeps alive their hopes of a place in the final.

Should Australia beat New Zealand, England will play the Black Caps in a winner-takes-all clash in Brisbane on Tuesday to decide who will play Australia in the best-of-three finals.

Having traded at 32, England are now available at 2.2 to make the finals while New Zealand can be backed at 1.4. England are trading at 17 to win the series, with Australia 1.14 and New Zealand 12.

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