AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND 1978-79

At Melbourne, February 4. Australia won by four wickets. Despite a magical 101 not out by Man of the Match David Gower, Australia, having the best of the conditions, won a thrilling encounter with ten balls to spare. Yallop wisely conceded first innings on a wet pitch of variable bounce under a cloud cover. Gower and Botham took 64 off 72 balls and Gower reached his century off the last delivery of the innings with a perfect off-drive through a ring of boundary fielders. His 101 came off 100 balls and included nine 4s. Australia, on a rolled-out surface and in sunshine, owed much to Hughes, Yallop, and finally Toohey, who made the winning hit. The match turned on the scientific hitting of Cosier, 28 off fourteen balls, and Laughlin, 15 from eleven. A crowd of 11,077 was vastly entertained.

England 212 for six (40 overs) (D. I. Gower 101 not out, I. T. Botham 31, G. Boycott 30; G. Dymock two for 31); Australia 215 for six (38.6 overs) (P. M. Toohey 54 not out, K. J. Hughes 50, G. N. Yallop 31; J. K. Lever three for 51). Umpires: R. C. Bailhache and D. Weser.