KINGSTOWN (St Vincent), March 10: A superb 72 from Adam Gilchrist helped Australia snap their losing run against England with an easy five-wicket win in their final World Cup warm-up on Friday (partially reported in Saturday’s edition).

The victory will not officially count as it was a 13-player game, but their confidence will have been greatly boosted after they lost three times on the bounce to England in the recent home tri-series, including a 2-0 defeat in the finals.

The world champions were struggling early on though when England captain Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell shared a second-wicket stand of 116 before England collapsed from 122 for one to 197 all out after some rash shots and improved bowling.

Australian openers Shane Watson (55) and Gilchrist started the chase impeccably with both managing some lusty blows off a totally ineffective England attack on a slow wicket.

Gilchrist hammered six fours and a six before edging Sajid Mahmood behind down leg. The middle-order fell cheaply but Australia, still without Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds, won with 9.1 overs to spare.

Michael Vaughan, who fielded for 17 overs, was hoping to use the warm-ups to decide which two of Jon Lewis, James Anderson, Liam Plunkett and Mahmood would take the World Cup seam bowling slots. But the captain will have gleaned little, especially as Bermuda were dismissed for 45 on Monday.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

E.C. Joyce lbw b Tait 5

M.P. Vaughan c Watson b Hogg 62

I.R. Bell st Gilchrist b Hogg 56

K.P. Pietersen c Hogg b Tait 4

P.D. Collingwood c Hogg b Bracken 18

A. Flintoff c Johnson b Clark 13

J.W.M. Dalrymple not out 8

P.A. Nixon c Gilchrist b Clark 6

L.E. Plunkett b Clark 0

S.I. Mahmood b Tait 2

J. Lewis b Tait 5

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, W-9, NB-1) 18

TOTAL (all out, 48.3 overs) 197

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-122, 3-131, 4-131, 5-167, 6-168, 7-182, 8-163, 9-189.

DID NOT BAT: J.M. Anderson, M.S. Panesar.

BOWLING: Bracken 10-1-39-1; Tait 8.3-0-33-4 (7w); McGrath 4-1-13-0; Johnson 2-0-20-0; Watson 4-0-20-0; Hogg 10-1-28-2; Clarke 4-0-20-0; Clark 6-0-16-3 (1nb, 2w).

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Nixon b Mahmood 72

S.R. Watson c Pietersen b Panesar 55

R.T. Ponting b Dalrymple 7

M.J. Clarke not out 24

B.J. Hodge c and b Collingwood 14

M.E.K. Hussey b Lewis 0

B.J. Haddin not out 6

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-12, NB-9) 22

TOTAL (for five wkts, 40.5 overs) 200

FALL OF WKTS: 1-140, 2-142, 3-156, 4-191, 5-193.

DID NOT BAT: G.B. Hogg, M.G. Johnson, N.W. Bracken, S.R. Clark, S.W. Tait, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Anderson 7-0-39-0 (2w); Lewis 5-0-29-1 (5nb); Plunkett 6-0-25-1 (2w); Dalrymple 6-0-25-1 (2w); Collingwood 2.5-0-15-1; Flintoff 7-0-25-0 (3nb); Mahmood 3-0-22-1 (1w); Panesar 6-0-16-1 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by five wickets.

UMPIRES: A.L. Hill (New Zealand) and N. Malcolm (West Indies).—AFP