Five wickets from Brett Lee and a century by captain Ricky Ponting enabled Australia to comfortably level the NatWest Challenge one-day cricket series with a seven-wicket win over England at Lord's.

Man of the match Lee's 5-41 was the key to restricting England to 8-223 off their 50 overs, then Ponting's 111 of 115 balls led his side to the target off 44.2 overs for the loss of three wickets.

The win extends Australia's good record at Lord's and squares the series at a win apiece, with the decider to be held at The Oval on Tuesday.

Australia won the toss, giving the tourists the potential advantage of an extra batsman in Brad Haddin, who was named as the substitute under the new rules.

Australia took the initiative with a spell of three wickets for three runs over three overs, removing Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, the three batsmen who took England to victory in the series opener at Headingley.

Andrew Flintoff, who recorded his best one-day innings against Australia with 87, led a mid-innings rally for England, but there was no denying Lee, who took five wickets in a one-day innings for the fourth time.

Michael Kasprowicz - into the side for the injured Shane Watson - took a wicket with his first ball and finished with two.

An out-of-touch Jason Gillespie was again wicketless and the most expensive of Australia's bowlers, further threatening his Ashes chances, particularly given the good showing of Lee.

England needed a good start in the field to have any chance of defending its low score, but Adam Gilchrist blasted Australia to 0-32 off the first four overs to put the result beyond doubt.

After he and Simon Katich - replacing Matthew Hayden (shoulder) as opener - were dismissed, Ponting and Damien Martyn steered Australia to victory with little fuss - the captain falling just eight runs shy of the win.

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