Australia v England

At Sydney, February 5 (day/night). Australia won by four wickets. Toss: England.

In a theoretically dead match, Australia gained a psychological edge, while England's end-of-tour fadeout worsened - they had a new worry when Gough strained a hamstring. Dale, an English sort of crafty medium-pacer, netted Knight and Hick cheaply while conceding only 28, setting the England innings' conservative tone. It reached a gloomy 143 for six in 39 overs before Alleyne and Ealham combined to add 58 runs in ten. Returning to Sydney, the scene of his nocturnal adventure, Ponting responded to a warm welcome with Australia's top score. His dismissal triggered a nervous twitch, but Martyn, who had been handing in a string of useful unsung performances, saw them home with a smooth 38 off 32 balls.

Man of the Match: D. R. Martyn. Attendance: 35,780.