Australia v England

At Sydney, January 17 (day/night). England won by seven runs. Toss: England.

Australia were accused of mismanagement after finishing eight short with four wickets in hand. Commentators asked why they hadn't burnt more wickets in pursuit of victory, while Bevan, normally one-day cricket's pin-up, was under fire for not scoring a single four in 45 not out. Hick, with a career-best 108, and Hussain, with a maiden fifty, provided the bricks and mortar of England's 282, the third-highest total at Sydney, adding 190 together. Still, Mark Waugh and Lehmann looked capable of making history. But Gough was thrifty, conceding 16 in his final four overs, and Australia, needing 15 off the last, could not hit Giles to the boundary. It was an unhappy return for captain Steve Waugh, playing his 250th international but his first in this series: he dropped Hick on 23 and was out first ball.

Man of the Match: G. A. Hick. Attendance: 37,461.