England captain Nasser Hussain believes his side is capable of overcoming an 11-match losing streak against Australia when the triangular one-day series best-of-three finals start in Sydney on Thursday.

World Cup champions Australia, who will defend their title in southern Africa next month, have won seven of eight matches in the triangular series against England and Sri Lanka for 38 points, ahead of England on 20 and Sri Lanka on 14.

"I think both sides know that England can beat Australia in one-day cricket on a given day," Hussain told a news conference on Wednesday.

"Our record isn't very good against them recently but let's be fair. Look at what injuries have done to Australia, because we've been plagued by them.

"If we can put all parts of our game together we can beat Australia, definitely."

England lost the Ashes Test series against Australia 4-1 and suffered a string of injuries to bowlers Darren Gough, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Simon Jones and spinner Ashley Giles while leading batsman Graham Thorpe was unavailable for personal reasons.

Giles is expected to return to the side on Thursday after overcoming a wrist injury.

"It's been a long, hard tour, definitely the most difficult tour I've undertaken," said Hussain, a 34-year-old veteran of 81 Tests. "It's really tested the character of all the players. There has been some fantastic cricket played.

"When we've played well we've gotten support and when we haven't, we've gotten stick and deservedly so."

Hussain said next month's World Cup in southern Africa was providing plenty of motivation.

"I'm a little bit mentally jaded but these are big games now," he said.

"Winning the tournament here is important. It would be a boost, beating Australia out here but obviously how we go into the World Cup is more important."

Hussain said Australia and South Africa deserved World Cup favouritism although India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are also strong contenders.

"There's a lot of talent flying around in that competition and it's really going to be similar to the last World Cup, who peaks at the right times and who wins the important games," he said.