Clippings: Aussies whip England

Report from Sydney Morning Herald
No amount of Kevin Pietersen heroics could stop Australia from extending their golden run at the World Cup, where captain Ricky Ponting and young spearhead Shaun Tait led a seven-wicket victory over semi-final aspirant England in a tense Super 8 game.
As ever, Pietersen figured prominently in the drama, first with a century and then with an outfield catch off Andrew Symonds that was disallowed when he had to toss the ball back into play to avoid carrying it across the boundary rope and conceding six.
After much deliberation, Symonds was given not out because Pietersen did not have complete control of his own movements, as the rule demands, and was awarded two.
A wicket at that stage, with Australia needing 41 to win from eight overs, could have complicated the run chase, but instead Symonds and Michael Clarke guided Australia past England's total of 247 with 16 balls to spare.
The win takes Australia's unbeaten streak in World Cup games to 24, stretching back to 1999, and strengthens their position on top of the points table.
After both openers survived confident lbw shouts to provide Australia with a solid platform, Ponting and Clarke (55 from 63 balls) ground out a partnership of 112 to claim the advantage by the time Ponting was run out by a Paul Collingwood direct hit on 86.
England's innings followed a familiar pattern. Two early wickets fell when Tait, bowling fast and straight, found his range with the new ball.
Captain Michael Vaughan knocked one onto his stumps in the fourth over and Andrew Strauss, back in the England team at the expense of Ed Joyce, fell in precisely the same manner.
Pietersen combined with Ian Bell for a partnership of 144, and for a time it seemed Australia were struggling to cover the loss of Shane Watson's fast seamers, having chosen to strengthen the batting by picking Brad Hodge, as the England pair grew more assertive.
Pietersen was dropped twice, presenting Ponting with a tough one-hander on 50 and Hayden with an easier one on 63. He took a liking to Michael Clarke's spin, launching him for a straight six, while Bell attacked McGrath.
Bell produced yet another unfulfilled performance, slapping a catch to Mike Hussey at extra cover on 77, and from that point on England ran out of steam as Australia's bowlers pegged them back.
Pietersen stayed around to raise his fourth one-day international century, his first in two years, but it took 117 balls and was not the flamboyant innings his leaping celebration suggested.
Tait bowled three superb spells, his best effort of the tournament so far, and claimed the tough middle order scalp of Collingwood with a ball that caught the outside edge on its way through to Adam Gilchrist.
The South Australian produced the kind of performance Brett Lee would have been proud of, and finished with 3-41 from his ten overs to show his development is gathering pace. McGrath and Nathan Bracken chimed in for three each, too.
Australia's next Super 8 match is against Ireland on Friday.