At Melbourne, January 10 (day/night). England won by 37 runs. Toss: England.

England beat Australia for the first time on the tour to pull ahead of the A team in the qualifying table. But two more injuries took the gloss off the win. Gough, whose 45 in 49 balls revived England as he added 74 with Hick, broke down with a stress fracture of his left foot as he tried to bowl the first ball of Australia's innings. Then Fairbrother damaged shoulder ligaments as he dived in the field. That England still won was due to Hick, who followed up his three-hour 91 with his best bowling in one-day internationals, and Fraser, whose opening spell was three for seven in six overs.

Australia hit only four boundaries in their lowest completed total of the series. Robertson became the third player to appear for both Australian sides while Chris Lewis, playing club cricket locally, substituted for Fairbrother as the fifth reinforcement to England's original party.

Man of the Match: G. A. Hick. Attendance: 73,282.

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