Australia take series after Brisbane victory

(Reuters) - Australia wrapped up a morale-boosting one-day series victory over England with two games to spare after a 51-run win in the fifth match at the Gabba on Sunday.

Michael Clarke’s team took an unassailable 4-1 lead in the seven-match series after hitting 249 in 49.3 overs and then bowling out the visitors for 198.

“The boys are very excited. It’s great to come back after losing the Ashes test series and it shows a lot of courage,” skipper Clarke told Australia’s Channel Nine.

“We still see a lot of room for improvement so the next couple of games are very important for us. The feeling in the camp is fantastic.”

Pace pair Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger reduced England to 22 for three before Kevin Pietersen (40) and Ian Bell (36) combined for a 73-run partnership.

England, however, self destructed when they still had plenty of overs remaining and two well-established players batting.

Pietersen again succumbed to a rush of blood to the head when he misread a slower John Hastings delivery and spooned the ball to Lee at mid-on to leave his team 95 for four.