Clarke came to the crease to a chorus of boos from Australia fans dissatisfied with his batting form and unimpressed with his captaincy but left to general applause after top-scoring with 54 in Australia's total of 249.

Chris Woakes took 6-45 to become only the second Englishman after his current teammate Paul Collingwood to claim a six-wicket haul in a one-day international.

Collingwood took 6-31 and scored a century against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge in 2005.

Woakes' career-best performance was then undermined by poor top-order batting which saw England dismissed for 198 in 45.3 overs.

England lost three wickets for two runs in eight balls to go from 20 without loss to 22 for three after 6.1 overs and wasn't able to recover sufficiently to challenge Australia's grip on the match and series.

Kevin Pietersen made 40 and Ian Bell 36 in a 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket but when John Hastings dismissed both batsmen in the space of four overs, England slumped to 103-6 at the midpoint of its innings and its run chase was effectively over.

The England effort was given some respectability by an entertaining 53-run partnership between James Anderson and Steve Finn for the last wicket.

No. 11 Finn smashed 35 from 24 balls with five fours and a six while Anderson was left unbeaten on 20 as the last-wicket pair gave Australia a few nervous moments before succumbing.

Shane Watson helped wrap up the England tail, taking the wickets of Collingwood for 18 and Woakes for 8 without conceding a run in his first over. He then returned to dismiss the troublesome Finn, bowling the tailender with a ball that just clipped and removed the leg bail.

Watson finished with 3-25 while Brett Lee took 2-21 and Hastings 2-35.

Australia had won the toss and batted Sunday in what seemed ideal batting conditions.

A succession of Australian batsmen took advantage of those conditions and made strong starts but were unable to go on and post big scores. Clarke, battling a form slump and increasing public opposition to his captaincy, was the only batsman on either side to reach a half century though his innings was that of a man trying to play himself into form.

He scored his 54 runs from 75 balls, hitting five fours and beginning to show form near the end of a fruitless summer. Clark had made only 70 runs at an average of 17.5 in the four previous matches in this series.

Apart from Clarke, only Brad Haddin (37) and David Hussey (34) passed 30. Steven Smith was 24 not out when the innings ended after 49.3 overs and four batsmen were out for 16.

At the top of the order Watson looked in good form, reaching 16 before he cut a ball from Woakes directly to Collingwood in the gully.

Haddin had begun to dominate the England attack until he became over-elaborate in his strokeplay and stepped over a Finn delivery and was bowled.

Shaun Marsh also made 16 before steering the first ball of Collingwood's first over directly to Andrew Strauss at midwicket.

Cameron White (16) offered a catch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior when Woakes surprised him with a little more pace and bounce.

Clarke and Hussey put on 65 for the fifth wicket but they were separated just when their partnership should have become most productive. Hussey had made 34 when he also misjudged Woakes' pace and was bowled.