Michael Vaughan admitted he and the rest of the England team had let century-maker Kevin Pietersen down as a defeat to Australia in Antigua left England needing three wins out of three to avoid a World Cup exit at the Super Eight stage.

Australia triumphed by seven wickets as they comfortably surpassed England's total of 247, which featured 104 from Pietersen and 77 from Ian Bell.

Andrew Flintoff's dismissal of Adam Gilchrist gave them hope but 86 from captain Ricky Ponting, an unbeaten 55 from Michael Clarke and a belligerent run-a-ball 28 from Andrew Symonds saw the Australians home as they gained revenge for defeat in the Commonwealth Bank series Down Under.

Vaughan said yesterday: "Around the 30th over we were 160-odd for two and we looked like posting 280-290 and I think on that wicket that would have been a really competitive total but at 247 we were still in the game, but Ricky played a tremendous innings and Michael Clarke saw them home so full credit to Australia, but I thought it was an area that we could have won today."

Asked whether too many batsmen were struggling for form, Vaughan added: "That's probably right. Not many of us are playing that well but Kevin Pietersen's 100 was fantastic and you always want a guy who gets a hundred to be on the winning side and we didn't play well enough around him to get that 280-290.

"We are going to have to win the last three games now to reach the semis."

For full story see Monday Sport.