New Zealand v Australia

At Auckland, February 26, 2005 (day/night). Australia won by 86 runs. Toss: Australia. One-day international debut: J. A. H. Marshall.

Australia secured the five-match series with another comfortable win, though attention focused on accusations of deliberate beamers - and on the arrival on the international stage of James Marshall, almost indistinguishable from his identical twin, Hamish. New Zealand made a terrible start, Tuffey's excruciating opening over betraying the team's crumbling confidence: in all it lasted 14 deliveries, including four wides and four no-balls, and cost 16 runs. He bowled a second, but was dropped from both the attack and later the national squad to undergo remedial work on his technique and mindset. Pursuing another daunting target after Clarke hit a classy fifty, New Zealand lost Fleming for a third successive single-figure score. Then Papps, who had been brought in for Mathew Sinclair, was caught in two minds against the fierce pace of Lee. Struck full on the helmet, he retired hurt, spent the night in hospital and was not seen again during the series. The New Zealand coach John Bracewell kept battling, though. He said that Lee - who late in the game hit McCullum on the arm with a full toss - might be sued if he continued to bowl beamers in the more litigious climate of Australia. Lee claimed it was accidental and immediately apologised - an apology which McCullum afterwards accepted.

Man of the Match: M. J. Clarke.