Oz free fall continues

England’s Steve Harmison took a career-best five-wicket haul and Kevin Pietersen blasted 91 not out as Australia’s world champions...

England’s Steve Harmison took a career-best five-wicket haul and Kevin Pietersen blasted 91 not out as Australia’s world champions crashed to a second consecutive triangular series one-day defeat at Bristol on Sunday.

The Australians, whose reverse against Bangladesh in their opening match on Saturday was one of the greatest upsets in cricket history, produced a much-improved display but lost out by three wickets as Pietersen’s extraordinary knock sealed the win with 15 balls to spare.

The South-African born Pietersen hammered his runs off 65 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. His last 52 runs came off 23 deliveries.

Brief scores:

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Australia: 252-9 in 50 overs (A. Gilchrist 26, M. Hayden 31, M. Clarke 45, M. Hussey 84, S. Watson 25, Harmison 5-33, Flintoff 2-39) lost to England: 253-7 in 47.3 overs (M Vaughan 57, K Pietersen 91 n.o, McGrath 2-34, Hogg 3-42).

Warne in trouble

After two successive losses and the embarrassing ban on all-rounder Andrew Symonds comes another shock for Australia. The Daily Telegraph, on Sunday, said: In another nightmare for the Aussies, leg-spinner Shane Warne yet again became embroiled in another sex scandal, with claims of a night of passion with a 25-year-old woman in London.

Of the same incident, The Sunday Mirror quoted the woman at length about the alleged incident she claims happened while she and a friend were on a double date with Warne and one of his Hampshire teammates, Kevin Pietersen.