Australia's Shaun Tait (centre) celebrates bowling out England captain Michael Vaughan (left) during their Cricket World Cup Super Eight match in St. John's yesterday. - Reuters

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP):

Australia shrugged off Kevin Pietersen's century to roll to their 18th straight World Cup victory yesterday and hand England another lesson in winning.

When Pietersen and Ian Bell were breezing along in a 140-run third-wicket partnership in Antigua, England had high hopes of ending its traditional rival's winning streak in cricket's premier one-day championship.

But the rest of England's fragile batting line-up crumbled to 247 all out and Australia made 248 for three to win by seven wickets.

Aiming to become the first team to win the title three times in a row, captain Ricky Ponting's team has won all six games here by huge margins and is virtually assured of a top-four place and a spot in the semi-final.

"That's the most we've been tested," said Ponting, who scored 86 in Australia's run chase. "If we'd been chasing 280, it would have been a really difficult run chase ... taking a few more risks."

The victory means Australia are top of the Super Eight standings with eight points and lead Sri Lanka and New Zealand by two. South Africa are fourth, while England are tied with host West Indies and Bangladesh with two. Ireland, who face New Zealand in Guyana today, has none.

Despite its third loss of the championship, captain Michael Vaughan's team can still make it to the semi-final because it still has three games to play - Bangladesh, South Africa and West Indies.

Difficult game

"We're making it difficult for ourselves," Vaughan said. "We are going to have to win the last three games now to reach the semis."

Opening batsman Vaughan had the bonus of winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

He was soon back watching the game, however, and was joined by Andrew Strauss, as England lost the first two wickets for 24. Vaughan, who made five, has scored only 12 in his last four innings but stays in the team because of his astute captaincy.

Bell and Pietersen swung the game the other way, however, with a third-wicket partnership which threatened to take England past 330. Promoted to opener, Bell had reached 77 when he mistimed a drive and was caught with England on 163 in the 30th over.

It was the chance for the middle order to punish the Australian bowlers on a good batting track. Instead, Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff fell cheaply and Ponting, who delayed his third powerplay until the second half of the innings, put the pressure back on the England batsmen and even Pietersen, who made 104, was stifled.

England badly needed an early breakthrough but Australia openers Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist battled steadily to 57 before the first wicket went down. Gilchrist gave a catch to Collingwood, who then bowled Hayden for 41 with the score on 89.

If England thought they had a way back, Ponting andMichael Clarke, 55 not out, underlined Australia's ability to make sure the game had no more surprises.