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.