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ST JOHN'S, Antigua - Australia first contained then crushed England today with another ruthless exhibition of one-day cricket in the World Cup Super Eights.
Australia's victory has put them back on top of the one-day international cricket world rankings.
After restricting England to 247 in 49.5 overs, despite
Kevin Pietersen's first one-day century against the old enemy, the defending champions coasted to victory with seven wickets and 16 balls to spare.
Bidding to become the first team to win a hat-trick of World Cups, Australia moved two points clear of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the second round standings with eight.
England, still on two, have to win each of their three remaining matches to have any chance of qualifying for the semifinals on April 24-25.
Pietersen's 104 was a strangely muted affair after he reached his half-century from 49 balls with five fours and a six.
He took another 68 balls to get to his fourth one-day hundred and struck only one more boundary.
Pietersen was also the beneficiary of some unusually fallible Australian fielding, with Ricky Ponting missing a difficult chance at mid on and Matthew Hayden dropping a simple catch running to mid on as the batsman started walking off the field.
England, who had elected to bat before the largest crowd yet to assemble at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium for the final World Cup match in Antigua, lost captain Michael Vaughan for five and Andrew Strauss, playing his first game of the tournament, for seven.
England's defeat meant they stayed seventh, two points ahead of the West Indies and three behind India.
Ian Bell, promoted to opener, again looked in prime form, taking three fours through the offside from one Glenn McGrath over and playing fluently on both side of the wicket during a third-wicket partnership of 140 with Pietersen.
His dismissal for 77, caught from a tame push to Michael Hussey at cover off McGrath, signalled the end of England's bid to set a demanding total as the wickets tumbled.
Only a six in the final over by Paul Nixon brought them close to the 250 which was a minimum requirement on a somnolent pitch.
Australia set about their runchase in typically business-like fashion.
Openers Adam Gilchrist made 27 and Matthew Hayden 41 after each survived leg before wicket appeals in the first two overs which could have gone the other way, before posting an opening stand of 57.
Ponting, who got off the mark with a lofted on drive off Monty Panesar for four, and Michael Clarke collected runs with deft placements and swift running between the wickets.
Australian captain Ponting reached his half-century from 69 balls and seemed set for his second hundred off the tournament when he was run out for 86 by a direct hit from Paul Collingwood at point.
There was time for Clarke, who made 55 not out, to reach an assured half-century and some brief excitement near the end when Andrew Symonds hit 28 not out.
At one stage he was caught by Pietersen on the boundary. After taking five steps inside the ropes the fielder stepped over and the batsman was given not out.
Match report:
*Ponting (85 not out) moves effortlessly to his 60th one-day half-century. The run rate had crept up but Ponting and Michael Clarke (unbeaten on 40) are in control again now.
*A medium pace ball from Paul Collingwood clips the offstump and Matthew Hayden is dismissed for 41 much to his bemusement. He thinks Paul Nixon has whipped off the bails but he is definitely bowled.
*Adam Gilchrist (27) steers Flintoff straight to Collingwood at point when a breakthrough looked unlikely. Flintoff strikes with the last ball of his opening over.
*Hayden survives a good lbw shout from James Anderson with the final ball of the first over. Gilchrist is then fortunate when Sajid Mahmood strikes his pads next over.
*Australia will fancy their chances on this surface after England make 247 all out with one ball left having looked on for 300 at one stage.
*Kevin Pietersen falls for 104 off 122 balls when he smashes Nathan Bracken straight to Clarke. Mahmood, Paul Nixon and Anderson follow quickly.
*Top-ranked one-day batsman Pietersen shares a 51-run stand with Ravi Bopara, who is then caught in the deep by Mike Hussey for 21 off Bracken.
*England are not making the most of a good middle period with struggling Flintoff stumped off Brad Hogg for four after Collingwood edges Shaun Tait behind for two. Tait finishes with three for 41 off his 10.
*Ian Bell, who has played excellently, hits a lazy shot and is caught in the covers by Hussey off Glenn McGrath for 77.
*Hayden drops an easy chance running to mid-on to give Pietersen a life on 63 after he skies a drive off Tait.
*Opener Bell and Pietersen help England recover and bring up their hundred partnership off 107 balls.
*Andrew Strauss, picked ahead of Ed Joyce, falls for seven when he plays back and clatters a Tait ball into his stumps.
*Michael Vaughan is still totally out of touch and drags Tait on for five after 3.2 overs.
*England win the toss and bat. Australia bring in batsman Brad Hodge for injured all-rounder Shane Watson.
- REUTERS
