Aussies quell the Challenge

Pietersen, the one England highlight and hoping to be selected for the first Test at Lord’s starting next Thursday, made 74 off 84 balls, including two sixes, before going off the field during Australia’s reply with a groin strain. Australia, beaten in the series opener at Headingley, outclassed their hosts at Lord’s on Sunday and repeated the dose at The Oval on Tuesday.

England, put in and tied down, lost five wickets for 49 to slump to 93-6, forcing Michael Vaughan to replace pace bowler Simon Jones, who had yet to get on the field, with ‘supersub’ batsman Vikram Solanki.

The ploy reduced English blushes just a shade, Solanki making 53 not out and putting on 93 with Pietersen to give the home side a total to defend. But Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden soon made a nonsense of the contest. When Hayden lashed three fours off Darren Gough’s second over, Gilchrist trumped him with four tracer-bullet boundaries off the next from Steve Harmison.

The pair scored 45 in the first five overs — England had taken 13 overs to get to 44-2 — and got to 91 before Hayden, on 31, edged Gough behind. Gilchrist just carried on. At times, he seems to obey different rules compared to other batsmen. Holding the bat right at the top of the handle, he swung at everything and everything seemed to go for four, whether off the middle, the splice or the edge.

Ponting, meanwhile, who made a century at Lord’s on Sunday, also looked back to his best. Two shots, consecutive needle-threading on-drives for four off Andrew Flintoff, said it all. He made 44 off 43 balls before being stumped off Ashley Giles.

For England, there were few consolations. Their top three, who will fill the same places in the Tests, were again dominated by Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.

Brief scores: England: 228-7 in 50 overs (A.Strauss 36, K.Pietersen 74, V.Solanki 53 n.o, Gillespie 3-44) lost to Australia: 229-2 in 34.5 overs (A.Gilchrist 121 n.o, R.Ponting 43).