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ST PETER’S (Antigua), April 8: Kevin Pietersen's maiden World Cup hundred, and his first against Australia, was the cornerstone of England's 247 all out in their Super Eights clash with the world champions at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Sunday.
Pietersen, whose 104 was England's first century this World Cup, put on 140 for the third wicket with Ian Bell (77) after his side slumped to 24 for two.
But Australia fought back by taking three wickets for 15 runs in six overs as England declined from 164 for two to 179 for five.
Ravi Bopara chipped in with 21 in a stand of 51 with Pietersen.
Left-arm quick Nathan Bracken had three for 33, fast bowler Shaun Tait three for 41 and Glenn McGrath, three for 62.
Just 51 runs came in the last 10 overs with Pietersen, whose fourth century at this level came off 117 balls with one six and six fours, scoring just one boundary between fifty and a hundred when he was dropped twice.
Scoreboard
ENGLAND:
I.R. Bell c Hussey b McGrath 77
M.P. Vaughan b Tait 5
A.J. Strauss b Tait 7
K.P. Pietersen c Clarke b Bracken 104
P.D. Collingwood c Gilchrist b Tait 2
A. Flintoff st Gilchrist b Hogg 4
R.S. Bopara c Hussey b Bracken 21
P.A. Nixon c Hodge b McGrath 8
S.I. Mahmood c Hodge b Bracken 0
M.S. Panesar not out 1
J.M. Anderson lbw b McGrath 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, W-7, NB-3) 18
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 247
FALL OF WKTS: 1-10 (Vaughan, 3.2 ov), 2-24 (Strauss, 5.6 ov), 3-164 (Bell, 29.3 ov), 4-167 (Collingwood, 30.3 ov), 5-179 (Flintoff, 35.3 ov), 6-230 (Bopara, 46.2 ov), 7-240 (Pietersen, 48.4 ov), 8-240 (Mahmood, 48.6 ov), 9-246 (Nixon, 49.2 ov).
BOWLING: Bracken 10-1-33-3 (1w); Tait 10-0-41-3 (2nb, 3w); McGrath 9.5-0-62-3 (1w); Clarke 4-0-27-0; Hogg 10-0-36-1 (1w); Symonds 6-0-40-0.
AUSTRALIA: A.C. Gilchrist, M.L. Hayden, R.T. Ponting, M.J. Clarke, A. Symonds, M.E.K. Hussey, B.J. Hodge, G.B. Hogg, N.W. Bracken, S.W. Tait, G.D. McGrath.
UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: Asad Rauf (Pakistan).
MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).—AFP
