England end tour on unlikely high

England completed one of the great sporting comebacks to claim the Commonwealth Bank Series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Andrew Flintoff's team beat Australia by 34 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-affected affair to take the finals 2-0, having come back from the dead to qualify for the best-of-three showdown.

Wet weather twice disrupted the Australians' chase and the loss of five wickets in the first dozen overs of the innings revised the target to 211 from 33 overs when they resumed with the score on 79 in the 17th over.

Liam Plunkett plunged Australia into crisis at the start of the innings by removing prize trio Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Clarke.

The world champions started their pursuit of 247 from a full complement of 50 overs but Sajid Mahmood began the slump when a slower ball was slapped to Paul Collingwood to short cover by Matthew Hayden.

Captain Ponting also fell to Plunkett prior to the first stoppage of the innings, nicking low to first slip, where Andrew Strauss held on.

It was Durham fast bowler Plunkett's devastating first over back when play resumed after the third rain break of the day which proved decisive.

When play resumed at 39 for two, following a 45-minute delay, 21-year-old Plunkett unleashed an inswinger from around the wicket to knock back Adam Gilchrist's off-stump with the very first delivery.

Arcing the ball at good pace, he then had Brad Hodge dropped by Collingwood at second slip.

But, two balls later, Michael Clarke edged behind to leave the Australians in tatters.

And Flintoff terminated Michael Hussey's 10-ball stay at the crease with one that angled across the left-hander for Strauss to claim his second catch.

Australia went back out once again on 79 for five but lost Shane Watson to a brilliant one-handed catch by Jamie Dalrymple, off the bowling of Collingwood, to end realistic hopes of a challenge.

Brad Hogg and Hodge were both caught on the edge of the fielding circle before the drizzle returned with Australia 152 for eight from 26 overs.

Earlier, man-of-the-moment Collingwood followed up his back-to-back hundreds with 70 in a score of 246 for eight.