CRICKET ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL:ENGLAND'S LOSING streak in one-day cricket continued as a Cameron White hundred propelled Australia into a 3-0 NatWest Series lead.
White tackled the sluggish surface at the Rose Bowl expertly to hit 105 in a six-wicket floodlit victory, secured with nine balls to spare.
Stand-in skipper Michael Clarke also struck a half-century as Australia extended their dominance over England to 10 wins in 13 attempts in 50-over cricket.
White did not give a chance until he was on 92 although it was a dolly, dropped by Tim Bresnan at long-on off James Anderson with 46 required from 44 balls.
In truth, however, he should have been run out a couple of times, with James Anderson involved on each occasion.
Australia were 154 for two, with 75 runs required from 11 overs, when they opted for the batting powerplay. It was a period which began with a huge White six off Ryan Sidebottom, the first by an Australian in the series, and included 41 runs in all.
It was during this time that the 100-run alliance was registered by the third-wicket pair – of which Clarke’s share was 40.
Their blend of power and placement, White providing the former, reaped 143 runs in all, with Clarke finally dismissed the very next ball after registering his first boundary.
Off-spinner Graeme Swann claimed the success as Clarke tiredly wiped at a full delivery and was bowled.
White had celebrated his maiden ODI hundred earlier in the over from 116 deliveries.
He eventually succumbed when he mishit to mid-off with just nine needed.
His innings doused English enthusiasm, which had been stoked by a couple of early wickets in defence of their 229-run target.
Two leg-before decisions, for Anderson and Paul Collingwood respectively, inside the first two blocks of powerplay, left Australia 52 for two in the 14th over.
Both were straightforward decisions for the umpires as Shane Watson was beaten for pace by Anderson in the fifth over of the innings and Tim Paine was outfoxed by a Collingwood cutter.
Strokeplay proved tricky on the sluggish surface and only captain Strauss truly prospered as once again the home batsmen failed to take responsibility.
When Strauss picked out opposite number Clarke at midwicket off spinner Nathan Hauritz, in fact, it meant England were in need of consolidation at 98 for four.
It took Irish-raised batsman Eoin Morgan to ensure respectability. Morgan manoeuvred the ball into gaps and also cleared the rope at long-on off James Hopes to hit 43, his highest international score since switching allegiance to England earlier this year.
The left-hander was eventually one of two batsmen to fall in the batting powerplay, taken at the start of the 46th over and including just 24 runs, when he lobbed a low full toss from Brett Lee to mid-off.
Yorkshiremen Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom then chipped in with career-best one-day international scores, 31 not out and 24 respectively, to ensure England breached 200.
Left-hander Strauss was the one top-order player to come to terms with the sluggish surface.
He struck 63 from just 72 deliveries, but he could not fulfil the demand of batting through the innings and perished attempting to force the tempo.
He shared an opening stand of 41 with Ravi Bopara, whose demise came when he attempted a second six off Nathan Bracken.
Matt Prior then pulled straight to square leg without addition to the score and Mitchell Johnson doubled his wicket haul when Owais Shah was adjudged lbw to a delivery which appeared to be going on past the off stump.
