Wilting under pressure has already been a worrying trend for Heather Knight's England, but after this latest shameful display, Australia will be more confident of retaining the Ashes sooner rather than later.
Top teams find a way to win out of nowhere, as Australia proved once again, but sometimes it was reckless English cricket that handed it to them – the hosts successfully defended their lowest ODI total since 2006.
At 84-5, England were wobbly but had more than 28 overs to take another 97 runs.
Instead, Jones went into her shell alongside Capsie, who made 14 for 35 balls – and Australia, needing no second invitation to prey on any whiff of fragility, pounced.
Capsey was trapped at the crease lbw by Kim Garth, who bowled a miserable spell of 3-37, Charlie Dean attempted an inexplicable slope to be caught off King the next ball, and Sophie Ecclestone was edged by the same fielder.
Lauren Filer was run out after Darcy Brown's massive swoop and throw from short third, and it took Jones' final throw of the dice to start playing her shots, but that came too late, coupled with her inability to manage the putt with Bell.
King was massive for her 4-25, having also secured the huge scalps of Nat Sciver-Brunt for 35 and Danni Wyatt-Hodge for a golden duck earlier in her spell.
England faced a daunting task even before the series began and few expected them to win the ODI series, which is Australia's strongest format, comfortably, but they can make no excuses for their failure to snatch what would have been two valuable points from Melbourne.
