Although the whitewash proved elusive, a spellbinding spell of reverse swing bowling from Tom Curran at least ensured England inflicted a record-equalling home defeat on Australia.
Only once before had an Australian team lost 4-1 in a bilateral one-day series on their own soil —to South Africa nine years ago.
Fittingly, it was a player of southern African descent whose combination of skill and big-match temperament provided England with the margin of victory their performances merited.
The 22-year-old son of the late Zimbabwe international Kevin Curran delivered a strong performance for the opening of Perth's new Optus Stadium, silencing a 53,781 crowd.
Tailing it in at brisk rather than express pace, Curran sealed a 12-run win with copycat castlings of Adam Zampa and Tim Paine — his effervescent display suggesting England have unearthed another player in an expanding band of one-day match-winners.
Australia appeared to be coming home with a wet sail on the west coast when Marcus Stoinis was pitching for the role of hometown hero on Perth's big day — making the most of his promotion to No 3 with a rambunctious 89.
With Glenn Maxwell also on the charge on his recall, Australia only required 71 runs for victory from 97 deliveries when Stoinis picked out a tumbling Curran at long-on from an Adil Rashid full toss.
It was only England's fifth wicket, but they refused to throw in the towel despite defending a modest 260-run target on a ground with short straight boundaries.
Curran got the ball back in his hand for the dramatic finale — having dispatched the woefully out-of-touch David Warner with a pinpoint yorker in his opening spell.
Tom Curran celebrates with his England teammates after dismissing Australia's Adam Zampa. Photo / Getty Images.
The first of two wickets in three balls highlighted his confidence: pinning Maxwell on the back leg, he persuaded Morgan to challenge a not-out decision. Then, a delivery of similar shape took the outside edge of Mitchell Starc's bat.
When Moeen picked up Mitchell Marsh and Andrew Tye, Australia had lost four wickets for 14 runs.
Then, following a late twist when it appeared England were going to have their bowling resources reduced for the second time in the series with Jake Ball leaving the field with dizziness, and Zampa successfully challenged being given out lbw to left-armer David Willey.
As it happened, the television referral worked in England's favour, extending Ball's lie down by a couple of minutes and allowing him to return to continue his spell from the Members' End.
Paine's response to losing Zampa had been to deflect consecutive deliveries behind the wicket for a four and a six, then take the strike with 13 required from two overs.
The match only lasted a further two balls, however, as Curran finished with five for 35.
Just as in their previous wins, there were things for England to improve upon: their catching and general fielding was poor.
