At Port Elizabeth, February 22. Australia won by 88 runs. Toss: Australia.

Border's first successful toss of the series brought Australia's first win – the ninth successive limited-overs game between the two teams to be won by the side batting first. Despite taking 20 balls to get off the mark, Jones eventually passed 6,000 runs in one-day internationals, and his busy partnership of 123 for the second wicket with Boon stole the initiative. Only Matthews conceded fewer than five runs per over. Mark Waugh rammed home the advantage with a fluent 60 and Border himself smashed an unbeaten 40 off 17 balls. Once Cronje went for 45 and Kuiper for 33 from 16 balls, Warne and McDermott were too much for the home batsmen. Warne, who was hit for 97 from 18 overs in the first two matches, returned four for 36.

Man of the Match: M. E. Waugh.

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