Played at Melbourne, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, December 31, January 2, 3, 4. Australia won by 89 runs. This was the sensational match of the tour, the South Africans suffering defeat by 89 runs when everyone thought they had the game in their hands. Pegler was given a place in their team to the exclusion of Vogler. The Australians led off with a score of 348, their batting being very good but, considering the perfection of the wicket, not exceptionable. Clem Hill was bowled by a ball that he did not attempt to play. Nourse brought off a wonderful catch on the boundary, and was presented with the ball as a memento of his feat. When the South Africans went in, Faulkner played the innings of his life. Batting for five hours and a quarter, he scored 204 runs out of 368 put on while he was in, and hit twenty-six 4"s. He might have been caught when 64 and again at 126, but these were his only mistakes. Zulch, Nourse, and Snooke helped him to put on 107, 110, and 90 runs respectively for the second, third, and sixth wickets.

In the second innings of Australia Trumper played superbly, scoring 159 out of 237 in less than three hours, but no one else gained any real mastery over Schwarz and Llewellyn. South Africa only required 170 to win, but the occasion proved too much for them. They were soon in a losing position, half the wickets being down for 46, and the innings ended for 80, Australia winning the match by 89 runs. Whitty"s bowling was described as beyond praise. No excuse could be offered for the failure but it was thought that Faulkner flattered the bowlers by his extreme caution. Zulch left a sick bed in order to take his innings.