Top 5 England vs. Australia One-Day Internationals

England and Australia were the first teams ever to play a One Day International game, when the two locked horns in 1971, after a Test match in Melbourne was washed out.

Over the years, the two have gone head to head plenty of times and produced some superb encounters.

Needless to say, Australia have definitely been the superior team for larger stretches of the rivalry, while at times England have also dominated their rivals.

So, with the five-match ODI series between Australia and England on Sunday, January 14, here is a look at 5 of the best fifty-over games that the old rivals have ever been involved in.

#5 Kevin Pietersen's fireworks rescues a lost cause, 2005

For many years, England had been completely dominated by Australia in all formats of the game, but, the first game between the rivals in the tri-series held in England in 2005 came as a pleasant surprise for the hosts.

In that game at Bristol, Australia chose to bat first and the reigning world champions were soon in their stride as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden smashed the England bowlers all around the park.

However, the introduction of Steve Harmison as first bowling change turned the game on its head as Australia went from 57 for no loss to 63 for 4.

Harmison finished with 5 for 33 in his 10 overs and Australia recovered through a superb 84 from Mike Hussey to post a competitive 252 in their 50 overs.

England did not do better in the chase and after the 39-run opening stand between Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss, they kept losing wickets and eventually found themselves staring at defeat with the scoreboard reading 160 for 6 in the 38th over.

With 93 still needed to win and only 74 deliveries left (it was a big ask in those days), the match was as good as over.

However, Kevin Pietersen had other plans and decided to put up a fight against the formidable Australian bowling attack.

He hit 8 boundaries and 4 sixes to score 91 off only 65 balls as England romped home with 15 balls to spare.

KP got support from number nine Jon Lewis and his hitting left the world champions shell-shocked as England completed a famous win.

#4 Gary Gilmour destroys England, World Cup Semi-final 1975

The Ashes rivals, who had played the very first one-day international in 1971, went head to head in the semi-final of the inaugural World Cup at Headingley and produced a superb low-scoring encounter for the ages.

Australia won the toss and chose to field first on a green pitch and wet, cloudy weather.

England, who had reached the semi-final in a canter, must have been wary of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. However, it was left-arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour, who completely destroyed their much-vaunted batting line-up with devastating swing bowling to end with dream figures of 6-14 in 12 overs.

England folded for 93 in the 37th over and while many thought that the match was as good as over, were mistaken. England's pace trio of John Snow, Geoff Arnold and Chris Old then put the Australians into all sorts of trouble as they kept losing wickets.

The match was suddenly alive when Rodney Marsh was bowled by Chris Old and Australia found themselves struggling at 39 for 6. It was England's game but it was Gary Gilmour who along with Doug Walters produced another match-turning performance and scored 28 to steer Australia home in the 29th over by 4 wickets.

#3 Gatting loses the World Cup, 1987

The World Cup finals have always been closely contested affairs, but, the only exception is the final of the 1987 edition, when England and Australia battled for the biggest trophy in cricket at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Australia elected to bat first and were given a steady start by the openers David Boon and Geoff Marsh.

They added 75 for the first wicket. Boon top scored with 75 off 125 balls but a run a ball 31 from captain Allan Border and some superb late hitting from Mike Veletta (45 off 31, 6 boundaries) took Australia to 253 for 5 in their 50 overs. It was a big score in those days.

England's response got off to the worst possible start when opener Tim Robinson went for nought in the first over but then Graham Gooch and Bill Athey started the recovery.

They added 65 for the second wicket and then Athey shared a superb stand with Mike Gatting, who looked in excellent touch. Gatting was batting beautifully and had already hit 3 fours and a six.

Australia were running out of ideas and the match was slipping from their grip when captain Allan Border brought himself on. His slow left-arm spin did the trick as Gatting went for a reverse sweep and gifted a simple catch to the wicket-keeper.

From then on, it was a struggle for England and although Allan Lamb (45 off 44, 4 boundaries) tried gamely to make a fist of it, they eventually ran out of steam. Australia won a pulsating game by 7 runs.

#2 Allan Lamb's final over smash, 1987

In the 4th game of the tri-series Down Under back in 1987, Australia and England produced a game that will forever be remembered for the sensational last-over fireworks produced by Allan Lamb.

It was a game that never really threatened to be the classic that it went on to become when Australia's opener Dirk Welhan scored 97 and his partner Geoff Marsh scored 47 to lay the foundation of the eventual score of 233 in 50 overs. It was a good score at the time and Australia must have been favourites at the break.

England's openers struggled at the start and put on 33 before Bill Athey departed after a painful stay at the crease, that fetched him 2 runs off 22 balls. David Gower's 50 steadied things somewhat but England kept losing wickets and eventually found themselves staring at defeat when they found themselves at 143-4, Gower and Mike Gatting having departed in quick succession.

However, number 4 Allan Lamb was one his own and even though Ian Botham scored a quick 27, England were still way behind the game to have a chance. He batted with the tail and by the time the final over from left-arm fast bowler Bruce Reid came along, England still needed 18 to win. No one gave them a chance.

The first delivery was hit for a two and then the next one was hit in the leg side for four. Still, it was Australia's game with 12 needed off 4 but the next delivery sailed over long on for six and then the hosts were in a panic.

Lamb took advantage of a misfield and ran two off the 4th ball and with 4 left to win, he flicked the next one past mid-wicket to complete a famous heist.

#1 Old rivals share the honours, 2005

The best game played between the two old rivals was one in which they could not be separated and more importantly, it was in a final.

In the tri-series held in England in 2005, the hosts met Australia in the final at Lord's and a low scoring encounter soon turned into one of the all-time classics.

England won the toss and elected to field but it soon looked like a blunder when Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden went hammer and tongs at the opening bowlers.

However, the introduction of Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison into the attack changed the game altogether.

Both picked up 3 wickets as Australia lost their way and they were eventually all out in the 49th over for 196. Mike Hussey top-scored for Australia and stayed unbeaten at 62.

England must have thought that the target was a paltry one but they were in for a rude shock as Australia's opening bowlers Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee blasted out the top order. In the 10th over, England found themselves at 33 for 5 and starting at an embarrassing defeat in the final at Lord's.

However, all-rounder Paul Collingwood and wicket-keeper Geraint Jones slowly started a recovery. There was no pressure to score fast and the two added 116 for the 6th wicket before Collingwood was run out.

Jones was dismissed in the next over and Australia were into the English tail. Simon Jones' dismissal in the 46th over left England at 162 for 8 and needing 35 runs to win in 29 deliveries.

Spinner Ashley Giles and fast bowler Darren Gough then got together to take England to the final over. They needed 10 to win and Glenn McGrath was to bowl that over. After McGrath bowled a no-ball off the first ball and after Gough took two doubles, England were suddenly the favourites.

They needed three to win off two deliveries but the game still had a sting in the tail. McGrath fielded well off his own bowling and ran Gough out as he valiantly tried to complete the run. With three needed off the final delivery, Giles and Harmison ran two leg byes to tie the game. It was probably the greatest game that the two rivals have ever played.