Six great England v Australia ODIs

By Phil Harlow

As England and Australia prepare for the first one-day international of the NatWest Series on Sunday, BBC Sport picks out six of the best matches between the two rivals.

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The old enemies have met each other 78 times in the one-day game. Australia hold the upper hand with 44 victories compared to England's 32.

But until last year's surprise win for England in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final, Australia had reeled off a remarkable 14 consecutive wins.

6 JUNE 1981, EDGBASTON: AUSTRALIA WIN BY 2 RUNS

Australia, looking to level the three-match series, made 249 from their 55 overs, with Graeme Yallop's 63 the top score.

Dennis Lillee took the crucial wicket of Gatting to deny England

With England openers Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott departing cheaply, it was left to Mike Gatting to mastermind the response and the Middlesex batsman came agonisingly close to pulling it off.

As partners at the crease came and went, Gatting gradually upped the tempo to move England within five runs of victory.

But a delivery from Dennis Lillee accounted for the future England captain, and with just tailenders Bob Willis and Mike Hendrick to go, Australia grabbed the final wicket with a ball to spare.

24 MARCH 1985, SHARJAH: AUSTRALIA WIN BY 2 WICKETS

England's batsmen struggled to make a competitive total in the second match of the Four-Nations Cup.

Tim Robinson's 37 - compiled off 73 balls - was the top score for an under-strength England team as Allan Border took 3-21 off his seven overs.

But a disciplined effort from England's bowlers ensured Australia had to fight every inch of the way to make the final.

And it took a scrambling effort from Steve Rixon and Rod McCurdy to seal a victory off the very last ball of the match.

22 JANUARY 1987, SYDNEY: ENGLAND WIN BY 3 WICKETS

A day-nighter that will live long in the memory of Allan Lamb as his final over heroics guided England to victory.

Lamb hit Bruce Reid for 18 runs to clinch victory for England

Dirk Wellham fell just short of a century as Australia reached 233-8, but the careful spin bowling of Phil Edmonds (3-42 off nine overs) kept the total within reach for England.

Decent innings from Chris Broad and David Gower were let down by the failure of four other players to get past single figures, resulting in England needing an unlikely 18 off the last over to win.

But Lamb produced some superb shots to hit successive balls for two, four, six, two and a final four to seal the win with a ball to spare.

27 MAY 1989, TRENT BRIDGE: MATCH TIED

Another match to remember for Allan Lamb, as his unbeaten 100 - off just 105 balls - put England into a strong position in the Texaco Trophy match with a total of 226-5.

No Australian batsman came close to Lamb's century, but a collective effort from the upper order batsman ensured they were always in with a shout.

England's bowlers worked hard for the wickets of David Boon and co, while sharp fielding saw Steve Waugh and Tom Moody both run out.

The final over saw Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy go for the jugular, but he could not quite get his side over the finishing line.

2 MARCH 2003, PORT ELIZABETH: AUSTRALIA WIN BY 2 WICKETS

A case of what might have been for England as they pushed the much-fancied Australians all the way in their World Cup group match.

Openers Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight got England off to a bright start, but the exceptional bowling of Andy Bichel - who ended with figures of 7-20 from 10 overs - kept pegging back the innings.

Useful efforts from Alec Stewart and Andy Flintoff took England to 204-8, but it was an inspired spell of bowling from Andy Caddick that took Nasser Hussain's men close.

A double-wicket maiden helped him to 4-35, but a classic one-day innings from Michael Bevan - with able support from Bichel - took Australia home.

21 SEPTEMBER 2004, EDGBASTON: ENGLAND WIN BY 6 WICKETS

Far from a close finish, but after 14 successive defeats England's emphatic victory in last year's ICC Champions Trophy represented an important psychological breakthrough.

Damien Martyn's 65 helped Australia set England a testing target of 260 to win, but rapid run scoring from opener Marcus Trescothick and skipper Michael Vaughan put England in control.

Super England stun Aussies

Backed up by an unbeaten 52 from Andrew Strauss, England could even afford a relatively low-key innings from talisman Andy Flintoff.

Paul Collingwood scored England's winning runs to clinch victory with more than three overs in hand.