England Lions finally offered more than a yelp, but an Aaron Finch-inspired Australia A remained on course for a clean sweep in their five-match one-day cricket series.
Australia made it four from four as they scored 8-285 at the SCG on Monday and restricted the tourists to 9-240 to win by 45 runs.
Finch (109 off 117 balls) and Adam Voges (81 off 105) added 177 off 190 balls in the decisive partnership of the match.
The margin was by far the closest of the series after Australia A won the first three games by seven wickets, 122 runs and 113 runs.
It might have been even closer had England’s topscorer Gary Ballance (73 off 95) not been forced to retire hurt.
Ballance was struck by a delivery from paceman Alister McDermott (3-35 off nine), with England needing 86 off the last 9.5 overs
Rikki Clarke (20) and Toby Roland-Jones (24) kept their side in with a sniff until they ran out of batsmen.
Impressive young NSW quick Gurinder Sandhu (3-36 off eight) dealt the Lions a couple of blows inside the first 10 overs.
He had Alex Hales (three) caught at point by Ben Rohrer and Lions’ captain James Taylor (13) taken behind by Tim Paine.
Ballance put on 56 with opener Varun Chopra (41), 47 with Ben Foakes (20) and 36 with James Vince (18).
England didn’t help their cause by bowling a staggering 19 wides.
Roland-Jones (3-58 off nine) was the chief culprit, sending down an extra nine deliveries, four of them in one 10-ball over.
The Australians lost 4-25 after the big partnership between Finch and Voges.
Tim Paine (32) and Cameron Boyce (17) added some late lustre to the batting with a stand of 44 off 26 balls.
The series concludes with a day-night match at the SCG on Friday.