Adam Gilchrist hits out as Australia close in

England's dismal day was summed up when Ponting mis-hit a pull straight up in the air - only for Owais Shah and Alan Mullally to leave it to each other.

The next ball Ponting pulled over square leg for a huge six.

Gilchrist was caught and bowled by Robert Croft with 14 runs required but the result was never in doubt.

Gilchrist and Ponting's cavalier batting was in stark contrast to the stuff that preceded it.

England had disintegrated in the face of hostile Australian bowling before lunch.

Their sorry one-day form somehow got worse as Australia breezed through their batting order without breaking sweat.

Without Caddick's late 36, the paltry total would have looked even poorer.

The PA system blasted out 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' every time a new batsman came to the crease - which meant The Oval crowd heard it plenty of times.

Only Ben Hollioake could consider himself unlucky, run out when Damien Fleming deflected Robert Croft's drive onto the stumps.

Brett Lee celebrates the dismissal of Alec Stewart

The other batsmen simply had no answer to some fine aggressive seam bowling from Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Ian Harvey and Fleming.

Nick Knight was the only man to post a decent score, making 48 before nibbling to Adam Gilchrist.

Alistair Brown and Shah both went in quick succession, for a single apiece, as Lee put together a tremendous spell.

Shah's dismissal followed that of Alec Stewart, who was caught off Lee for 22 just as his partnership with Nick Knight threatened to pull England back into the game.

The home side got off to the worst possible start when Marcus Trescothick played on to the sixth ball of Glenn McGrath's first over.

England had won the toss and elected to bat on a grassy wicket.

But they were never in the game - and have now lost a record-breaking 12 one-day internationals on the bounce.

Teams

England
M E Trescothick, A J Stewart (Capt, Wkt), N V Knight, O A Shah, A D Brown, P D Collingwood, B C Hollioake, R D B Croft, D Gough, A R Caddick, A D Mullally.

Australia
M L Hayden, M E Waugh, A C Gilchrist (Wkt), R T Ponting, M G Bevan, S R Waugh (Capt), A Symonds, I J Harvey, B Lee, D W Fleming, G D McGrath.

Umpires: D J Constant and G Sharp