Durham, Sept. 20: Graeme Swann took 5/28 as England bowled Australia out for 176 and won by four wickets on Sunday to avoid being the first side to lose a one-day international series 7-0. Although Australia won the series 6-1, England were spurred by an opening stand of 106 between Andrew Strauss and Joe Denly and will go to the Champions Trophy in South Africa later this week on a winning note.

Despite a mini collapse to 141/5, England reached the target with 10 overs to spare.

Although Ricky Ponting made 53 to become the third highest one-day scorer of all time, Australia had no real answer to the offspin of Swann, who also caught opener Shane Watson with no runs on the board.

Michael Hussey contributed 49 and Michael Clarke 38 for Australia.

Watson lasted only four balls before he edged a delivery from Jimmy Anderson to first slip and Tim Paine, who scored 111 at Trent Bridge on Thursday, made only four before snicking a catch to wicketkeeper Matthew Prior off the returning Onions.

That left Australia in trouble at 17/2 in the fourth over but Ponting and Clarke steadied the innings with a third-wicket stand of 79 during which the Australian captain overtook Pakistan’s Inzaman-ul Haq to move up to third in the all-time batting list.

Ponting reached his 68th one-day half-century by pulling a short ball from Paul Collingwood over square leg for his eighth boundary before he mistimed a delivery from Swann to Collingwood at mid-on.

Clarke was next to go when he was beaten by Eoin Morgan’s throw from fine leg and Swann bowled Cameron White for one to leave the Australians on 112/5.

James Hopes added 11 off 23 balls before he lobbed an easy catch to bowler Swann and the spinner removed Mitchell Johnson for 10 and Brett Lee in the same over.

Swann conceded only 28 runs off his 10 overs and England’s other spinner, Owais Shah, caught Nathan Hauritz off his own bowling for three.

Hussey defied England by hitting paceman Anderson for four and six off successive balls but was out one short of his 50 when he lofted a catch to Joe Denly to give Tim Bresnan a wicket.

Facing a modest victory target, England openers Strauss and Denly took few risks and moved slowly but comfortably to a half-century partnership in the 12th over. Strauss reached 47 before he gave an easy catch off spinner Hauritz in the 21st over. By then, however, England appeared to be cruising at 106/1. — AP