England v Australia 1901-02

Played at Melbourne, Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, February 28, March 1, 3, 4.- The fifth and last of the Test matches resulted in another defeat for MacLaren's side, the Australians, after a very keen fight, winning by 32 runs. The Englishmen, as will be seen from the score, led by 45 on the first innings, the modest run-getting being due to the fact that recent rain had considerably affected the ground. At the close of the second day the Australians in their second innings had made 226 for six wickets, Clement Hill taking the chief honours with a splendidly played 87. On Monday, owing to frequent showers, very little could be done, only 116 runs being scored in the course of the afternoon. The Englishmen were left with 211 to get, and at the drawing of stumps they had scored 87 with three men out, all three wickets falling in the last few minutes. The prospects of victory would have been hopeful next morning if the ground had improved, but the pitch turned out very difficult, and no one except A. O. Jones could cope with Noble's bowling. The result was that the Australians won the game, and so left off with a record in the Test matches of four victories as against one defeat.