At Sydney, January 26 (day/night). Australia won by seven wickets. Toss: South Africa.

The match was postponed from the previous day, when more than 35,000 had turned up but the game was abandoned because of overnight rain. When the weather improved, Australia scorched to victory on the back of Gilchrist's maiden one-day century, arguably Australia's best innings of the competition. Gilchrist had been invited to open in the previous game by captain Steve Waugh, who acted on a hunch during the dinner break. He made only 20 then, but this time took just 32 overs to reach his century, studded with all manner of strokes from robust drives to feather wristed late cuts just wide of the keeper. He hit ten fours and a six in 104 balls. The match became an unexpected farewell for Donald; a buttock strain forced him out of the third final and the last Test.

Man of the Match: A. C. Gilchrist. Attendance: 26,293.

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