Australia won the battle but might yet lose the war as injuries to two key World Cup players took much of the gloss off a Shaun Marsh-inspired win in the second one-day international against England on Friday.
Marsh batted himself into contention for next month's World Cup with a match-winning century in Australia's 46-run win at the Bellerive Oval.
But just a month out from the World Cup, recalled spinner Nathan Hauritz appeared to suffer a serious shoulder injury, while injury-plagued paceman Shaun Tait was forced from the field by a thigh strain.
Hauritz, in his first international of the season, appeared to dislocate his right shoulder in the field and was rushed to hospital for X-rays, placing his World Cup hopes in jeopardy.
To make matters worse for the home side, already contemplating a rising injury list in their World Cup squad, Tait, returning from a back strain, broke down again during his sixth over.
Australia's acting captain Michael Clarke said he hoped both players would be fit for the World Cup.
"We're confident that they'll both be right for the World Cup. It is a setback though," Clarke said.
"More than likely, he's (Hauritz) going to struggle to take any more part in this series.
"Shaun (Tait), I think it's his upper thigh or glute. He'll have a scan tomorrow as well but we're hoping that's not too bad."
Marsh, left out of Australia's World Cup squad named on Tuesday and the only player not in that squad playing on Friday, posted his second one-day international century as Australia made 230 from 48.2 overs after being sent in to bat by England.
In reply, England never recovered from an early double-strike by paceman Doug Bollinger (4-28), who also contributed valuable tail-end runs with the bat. They were dismissed for just 184 in 45 overs as Australia took a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series.
All summer, Australia's best performances have relied on just one or two brilliant individual efforts.
In game one of the series it was Shane Watson's 161 not out, and this time it was the recalled Marsh, the only batsman in the match to look comfortable at the crease.
Batting at number six, the left-handed Marsh brought up his century in the best fashion possible, lofting Michael Yardy over mid-wicket for six from the 101st delivery he faced, having hit the previous two balls for four.
Marsh was the last man to fall, caught on the boundary having faced 114 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes.
The home side were in deep trouble at 142-8, before Marsh and number 10 Bollinger rallied to the cause by adding an unlikely 88, a record ninth-wicket stand for Australia in ODIs.
Not for the first time in this southern hemisphere summer, Australia's top order was in early disarray, with captain Michael Clarke's atrocious season in all forms of the game continuing as he fell for just 10.
Marsh, called in to replace the injured Mike Hussey, strode to the wicket with the home side in deep trouble at 33-4.
The left-hander struck the ball crisply from the time he arrived at the crease and did his chances of being a late inclusion in the World Cup squad no harm at all.
Hussey is in increasing doubt for the tournament after this week undergoing surgery to repair a severe hamstring tear, while Australian captain Ricky Ponting is battling to recover from a broken finger suffered during the Ashes.
Promising paceman Ajmal Shahzad celebrated his inclusion in England's World Cup squad by claiming 3-43, including the prized wickets of openers Shane Watson (5) and Brad Haddin (5).
England got off to a solid start, but Bollinger removed Andrew Strauss (lbw) for 19 and with his next delivery bowled Kevin Pietersen for a golden duck.
The tourists were 36-3 and never really recovered.
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