England 251 for 8 (Knight 111*, Trescothick 60, Hussain 52, Lee 4-47) lost to Australia 252 for 3 (Hayden 98, Gilchrist 53) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Whether it's in whites or pyjamas, by daytime or night-time, Australia just keep on mauling England. In the first match of the VB Series at Sydney, they chased a target of 252 with embarrassing ease, winning by seven wickets with five overs to spare. Matthew Hayden got the gold star, battering a wonderful 98 off only 90 balls. Yet again, it was a rout.

Nick Knight's unbeaten 111 had taken England to a competitive score of 251 for 8 – but it should have been nearer 300. Not for the first time, they lost their way badly in the middle overs when the pace came off the ball, with Darren Lehmann of all people taking 3 for 32 with his left-arm spinners.

Australia's reply started slowly, with a maiden from James Kirtley … and then all hell broke loose. The next 13 overs disappeared for 102 runs, with Adam Gilchrist scything everything through the off side and Hayden plundering to leg, including one humungous six as he picked Andy Caddick's slower ball and deposited it over long-on.

Gilchrist made 53 off 50 balls before lofting Ronnie Irani to deep midwicket (101 for 1), but there was no respite. Hayden was in brutal mood, with one flat sweep for six from Hayden off the debutant Gareth Batty taking the breath away. Ricky Ponting, who made 18, played second fiddle in a partnership of 60 before slicing Ian Blackwell to slip (161 for 2).

Hayden looked a shoo-in for his first one-day century in Australia when, to widespread disbelief, he swiped Blackwell to mid-off, where Marcus Trescothick took a fine jumping catch (190 for 3), but Damien Martyn (46 not out) and Lehmann (27 not out) nudged Australia home with a series of ones and twos. The end was as gentle as the beginning had been violent. Michael Bevan, the world's best one-day batsman, didn't even put his pads on.

Blackwell (2 for 38) was the pick of the England bowlers, replicating Lehmann's success on a gently turning pitch, but the rest exhibited various degrees of looseness. Caddick, who hasn't taken a wicket in an ODI - or even bowled a maiden - since February, once again had no answer to the new-ball onslaught save expletives and hunched shoulders. He is beginning to cut a desperate figure.

England's old head failed with the ball, but the older heads delivered with the bat. Knight, who went down with cramp in the 90s and needed a runner, anchored the innings coolly, adding 101 for the first wicket with Trescothick (60) and 102 with Nasser Hussain (52). After a filthy start, Trescothick found his touch from nowhere and reached fifty off 46 balls, before slashing Lee to Shane Warne at slip. Warne then turned to his day job, skidding one on to trap Irani lbw for 0 with his second ball (103 for 2).

Hussain was stodgy for much of his 81-ball innings, and didn't manage a boundary until his 69th delivery, when he carted Martyn over wide long-on. He was dropped twice off Lehmann, but it was third time lucky when Jason Gillespie in the deep judged a skier perfectly.

Blackwell, promoted to No. 5, then top-edged a cut first ball (206 for 4), and Owais Shah wafted to long-on for 2 (211 for 5). Before this match Lehmann had taken no wickets in six one-day internationals against England; now he had three in six balls.

Alec Stewart had made 4 when he was triggered by Simon Taufel (223 for 6), before Knight reached his century off 127 balls. Craig White (15) was bowled around his legs, middle stump, by Lee, who yorked Batty next ball to finish with 4 for 47.

England had mustered just 111 for 6 from their last 25 overs, and it was that which cost them as much as any failings in the field. There was some consolation for England; the new system means they gain a point for denying Australia a bonus point. In every other sense, however, this was a pretty pointless exercise.

Rob Smyth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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