Cricket: Not the Ashes, but victory sweet for Aussies

Australia's Shane Watson (centre) and Adam Gilchrist celebrate dismissing World XI team player Andrew Flintoff (left) from England as batsman Daniel Vettori (right), looks on. Picture / Reuters

MELBOURNE - That was England, Freddie and Kevin.

This is Australia.

While the two stars of the England side had things pretty much their own way during the recent series, the Australians took a slice of revenge at Telstra Dome last night.

Nothing will bring back the Ashes -- for the next 15 months at least -- but Ricky Ponting's team rapped out a reminder of why they are still ranked No 1 in both forms of the game.

They thumped the much vaunted World XI by a resounding 93 runs in the opening game of the Super Series.

The result will have been sweet indeed for the Australians, who have endured a barrage of criticism since returning from England, and were somewhat affronted to be made underdogs in this series.

In short, they had something to prove tonight, especially to Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, the two stars of the English summer.

The Englishmen had a forgettable night.

Pietersen made only two before he was LBW to Shane Watson. He did, however, hold a catch after dropping all six which came his way during the Ashes Tests.

Flintoff made 38 off 52 balls, but had the worst bowling figures of the match - 0-66 off nine overs, which included a superb pulled six by Ponting.

Flintoff had Simon Katich "caught" off a no-ball when he was on 24. Katich, thrust in to open in place of Matthew Hayden, went on to top score with 58.

To rub salt into the wound, Flintoff was also on the wrong end of the first ever decision referred to the television umpire under the experimental rule being trialled in this series.

Flintoff appealed for a catch when Katich tried to hook a bouncer. Flintoff thought he got a fine edge on the way through to keeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Umpire Simon Taufel referred it to Rudi Koertzen up in the stands, but the television replays were inconclusive and Katich was allowed to bat on.

The only thing that did go Flintoff's way was when Brett Lee dropped him at long leg when he had made only five.

The two have become great mates since Flintoff put a consoling arm around the Australian's shoulder after England had won the closest Ashes Test in history at Edgbaston in August.

They each have poster-sized photographs of the moment, with admiring inscriptions from the other.

It is the image that encapsulated the spirit of that remarkable series.

All that didn't stop Lee cursing himself when he put down the regulation catch off Shane Watson. It was one of three straightforward chances the Australians grassed tonight, but they did hold some good ones as well.

Coach John Buchanan was justified in recalling specialist fielding coach Mike Young from his baseball team in the United States this week.

The reprieve at least allowed Flintoff to drop anchor for a while as the World XI tried to bat out its 50 overs.

He stayed around long enough to club man of the match Watson over the cover boundary for six, but two balls later he chanced his arm again and Glenn McGrath recovered from a slow start to grasp the chance at long-on.

With that moment, any chance of a miracle comeback was gone.

- AAP