England beaten despite Hick's third century

Australia scored 239 for eight in front of a packed 30,000 Australia Day crowd at Adelaide Oval. England were all out for 223.

Australia now lead England at the head of the three nation rankings with a superior run rate.

Opener Mark Waugh top-scored for Australia with an 81-ball 65, including seven fours, while England pacemen Darren Gough and Dean Headley and off-spinner Robert Croft snapped up two wickets each.

Hick then scored a wonderful 109 but it was not enough. England raced to 162-2 in the 35th over before losing their last eight wickets for 61 runs.

Hick, batting at number three, hit six fours and two sixes in an almost lone bid to see England over the line, but was run out by Shane Lee as the ninth wicket fell in the penultimate over.

But he has made a brilliant return to form.

Hick hit an unbeaten 126 against Sri Lanka on Saturday and 108 against Australia in Sydney on January 17 as well as a 66 against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.

But this time Hick simply had insufficient support, with only opener Nick Knight (42) giving a major hand.

England's response began poorly when captain Alec Stewart (six) was out when he edged an Adam Dale delivery to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Knight and Hick looked dangerous as they made an 80-run partnership.

Australian captain Shane Warne finally achieved the breakthrough in his fourth over when an attempted drive by Knight went straight back to him for an easy caught and bowled.

Warne mixed his bowlers, no fewer than eight taking the ball.

But the master stroke was to bring back paceman Glenn McGrath in the 35th over. The big speedster trapped Nasser Hussain lbw for 21, putting a major brake on England's progress.

McGrath had success again in his next over with a ball that just plucked the bail from middle and off stump to dismiss Neil Fairbrother (10).

McGrath took a career-best limited overs international haul of 5-40 in Australia's 80-run victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday.

In his latest outing, he took 3-40 while Warne captured 3-39 and Brendon Julian 2-44.

Australia started the game disastrously when opener Adam Gilchrist was out on the fifth ball of the day, bowled by Darren Gough for a duck.

Gough struck again in his fifth over when he bowled Greg Blewett for four, putting Australia at 2-25.

Mark Waugh and Darren Lehmann steadied the innings with a valuable 93-run partnership.

Waugh made 65 before he hit Robert Croft to Nasser Hussain. Lehmann followed, Croft again responsible, bowling the left-hander for 51.

For England, Dean Headley finished with 2-60 while his pace partner Darren Gough took 2-51 and off-spinner Robert Croft 2-40.

England and Australia both have eight points from four wins and three losses. Sri Lanka are languishing with two wins from six matches.