Cricket: White leads Australia to third-straight win over England

SOUTHAMPTON - Cameron White scored his maiden century in one-day international cricket to lead Australia to a six-wicket victory and a 3-0 lead in their series against England today.

White scored 105 at the Rose Bowl as Australia reached their target of 229 when they finished on 230 for four with nine balls to spare after Shane Watson claimed three wickets to help restrict the hosts to 228 for nine from their 50 overs.

White, who scored 53 and 42 in the first two matches, faced 124 deliveries for his latest score, including nine fours and a six.

He did all he could to secure his place in the line-up for Saturday's fourth match at Lord's, with captain Ricky Ponting due to return at No 3 following his post-Ashes break.

The 26-year-old's performances may put pressure on selectors to drop him down the order at the expense of James Hopes.

White shared a 143-run partnership for the third wicket with acting captain Michael Clarke (52).

Having failed to chase down achievable targets in the previous two matches, England elected to bat first after winning the toss for a third time.

In the eighth over, opener Ravi Bopara (10) attempted a repeat of his earlier six smashed straight off Nathan Bracken, but his leading edge sailed high into the air for Hopes, running back a long way, to take an excellent diving catch.

Mitchell Johnson had a wicket maiden in his first over when Matt Prior pulled the ball straight to Hopes at square leg without scoring a run.

Owais Shah (eight) was perhaps unlucky when he was out lbw to Johnson with a ball that appeared on replays as though it might narrowly have missed off stump.

Andrew Strauss held the innings together, reaching 63 off 72 deliveries before he was caught by Clarke off Nathan Hauritz.

Watson was brought into the attack and in his second over had Paul Collingwood (28) caught by Bracken.

Hopes had Luke Wright (nine) caught by substitute fielder Adam Voges.

Eoin Morgan contributed 43 off 57 but he fell spooning a slower Brett Lee full toss to Johnson at mid-off as the capacity crowd of 21,400 barely murmured, seemingly stunned by how soft the dismissal was.

England's tail wagged, thanks to Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom who put on the second-highest partnership of the innings with 40 off 41 balls.

Watson had Sidebottom (24) out on the last ball, caught by White to leave Bresnan unbeaten with 31 off 37.

Watson finished with 3-36 off eight overs, while Johnson claimed 2-39 off 10.

Watson managed just seven with the bat and opening partner Tim Paine 29.

White overcame being hit in the groin by a Sidebottom delivery shortly after he arrived at the crease and set about compiling his innings in which he also survived two run-out chances and was dropped on 92 by Bresnan at long-on off the bowling of Anderson.

He hit Australia's first six of the series, heaving Sidebottom over the fence at midwicket.

Clarke faced 92 balls for his score, bringing up his 50 with his only boundary, but he was out next ball, bowled by Graeme Swann.

White was dismissed by a slower ball from Wright, caught by Sidebottom at mid-off, leaving the not out batsmen Callum Ferguson (20) and Mike Hussey (eight) to finish the job.

- AAP