England slump as Paine shines

Rookie wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine hit his maiden ODI century as the tourists posted 296 for eight batting first.

His innings of 111 from 148 balls was built on composure and, from a player making just his seventh appearance, was one England's aspiring batsman would have done well to take notice of following a series when they have routinely failed to cash in on starts.

Their chase was not undermined by such profligacy, however, rather two brilliant pieces of fielding from Ricky Ponting. The skipper ran out Matt Prior and Ravi Bopara in the space of five balls to suck the life out of England's chase at 60 for four.

England steadily lost wickets thereafter and were eventually bowled out for 185 from 41 overs to give little reason to suggest they can avoid a 7-0 humbling in the final match of the series at Chester-le-Street on Sunday.

England's chase was almost immediately on the skids when Andrew Strauss was incorrectly given out from the second ball for a duck. The skipper fended inside a searing short ball from Brett Lee, but after a sustained appeal from the Australians umpire Asad Rauf lifted his finger.

Joe Denly had again got off to a start, reaching 25 from 43 balls, before he miscued a drive off James Hopes to Lee at mid off. England's hopes then evaporated after two sublime pieces of fielding from Ponting.

The skipper's turn and throw from cover caught Prior (six) backing up too far and five balls later another direct hit sent Bopara packing for 25.

Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan both produced some eye-catching strokes, but as so often with England's middle-order in this series they both got out as they started to look dangerous. Both fell for 23 before Dimitri Mascarenhas (11) was unluckily bowled off his thigh pad by Hopes.

Ponting could even have had a third run out, but missed the stumps with Tim Bresnan well short of his ground. The Yorkshireman went on the top score with an unbeaten 31 as England otherwise meekly surrendered.