Australia face a modest target of 139 to ice their one-day series with England, with Mitch Marsh and John Hastings bowling them to the brink of victory in the decider at Old Trafford.
England finished with 9-138 from 33 overs, with captain Eoin Morgan retired hurt after being struck in the head in a distressing incident which briefly halted Australia's celebrations.
Morgan was on one, with England 3-22 and already in major trouble in the fifth and deciding match in Manchester, when he was hit on the side of the helmet after ducking into a fearsome Mitchell Starc bouncer.
The Australian team showed immediate concern, with Starc and George Bailey helping steady Morgan, who stayed on his feet.
The incident rattled Starc, who was playing for NSW in the match in which the late Phillip Hughes was struck on the back of the neck last November while batting for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.
Hughes died two days later from the injury.
Morgan's departure only accelerated England's collapse, with allrounder Ben Stokes the sole batsman to have a meaningful impact on the scoreboard before a late cameo from legspinner Adil Rashid (35 not out).
However, Stokes' 42-run effort ended when he became one of Marsh's four victims during a stunning spell of seam bowling.
Marsh (4-27) ripped the England middle order apart with consecutive wickets of Jonny Bairstow (10), Moeen Ali (5), David Willey (0) and finally Stokes.
Bowling full and straight, the allrounder had three of his victims, Bairstow, Willey and Stokes, all trapped lbw.
Before Sunday's showdown, allrounder Glenn Maxwell had called on his teammates to offer some support to the series-leading wicket-taker Pat Cummins.
They delivered in kind, with Hastings (3-21) and Starc (1-44) silencing the crowd by reducing the home side to 3-22 in just the sixth over.
Starc's opening over set the tone for the match, twice having Jason Roy (4) given out after being trapped in front.
The opener successfully had the first one overturned, after an inside edge was found on review, and should've done so again - with replays showing the delivery which ultimately dismissed him was swinging a long way down the leg side.
Hastings, selected ahead of more-fancied Victorian teammate James Pattinson, rewarded selectors' faith in him with a furious opening spell which delivered the wickets of opener Alex Hales and first drop James Taylor - the leading runscorer for the series - who was out caught behind for just 12.
Stokes led a one-man recovery to ensure England reached three figures, before a 32-run final-wicket partnership between Rashid and Reece Topley (6) added some respectability to the scoreboard.
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