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LET'S get the formalities out of the way first.
Yes, James Faulkner played an incredible innings that will go down as one of the most memorable one-day international knocks in this country in the past decade.
Yes, it was a sensational finish to a high-quality game of cricket.
Yes, the fans went home happy.
But it needs to be said - he was helped a lot by England's bowlers.
Up until the final five overs, Alastair Cook's men hadn't done a whole lot wrong at the Gabba.
The match was well set up by Eoin Morgan, who on any other night would have been awarded man of the match honours for his brilliant century, and he received good support from Jos Buttler and Ian Bell as England reached 300 exactly.
Then the English pacemen found some much-needed form as Chris Jordan, Boyd Rankin and Tim Bresnan combined to have Australia reeling at 5-120, 7-206 and then 9-244, leaving the hosts still requiring 57 runs with just one wicket remaining.
Then all of a sudden - carnage.
The yorker became a distant memory as time and again the tourists dished up juicy half-volleys that Faulkner gratefully accepted.
It seems unfair to hand out too much criticism to Ben Stokes, given his super contributions to England's losing Ashes cause, but the young all-rounder put in his worst bowling performance of the summer on Friday night.
Ben Stokes tries to stop a James Faulkner delivery off his own bowling. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited
He was carted for five sixes by Faulkner, all of which travelled between mid-wicket and square leg, and all of which were the beneficiaries of balls that were neither short nor full, but perfectly within the Australian's hitting zone.
Even Bresnan, who for the majority of the match bowled with good variety, using the slower ball to particularly good effect against Faulkner, fell apart in the final over as he was hit for three boundaries in a row to hand Australia the victory.
So how did England feel after coming so close, yet feeling so far away from a first victory in a full international match this summer?
"It is quite tough," Morgan said.
"We were all over today's game. Did a lot of things right. We let a good side come in at the end and allowed them to play.
"We're as surprised as anybody at the result."
And so they should be, given the tourists were in charge of the match for most of Friday evening.
But you get the feeling any kind of soul-searching experience has already been tried several times for the tourists, so really, what can they still do to improve their mental state heading into Sunday's third ODI?
"It can work both ways," the Irishman said.
"Guys probably shouldn't be as harsh as they will be on themselves but naturally you will be.
"If you look through today's game we've done a lot of things right. We took early wickets, second innings we continually built pressure, took two wickets in the powerplay, it's just that final little bit."
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