Paine-ful loss for England

England's dismal NatWest Series continued as another batting collapse saw them slump to their sixth consecutive one-day defeat against Australia in Nottingham on Thursday.

Tim Paine's maiden century powered Australia to 296-8 on another excellent Trent Bridge pitch.

The hosts' reply was woeful - bowled out for 185 all out in 41 overs, number eight Tim Bresnan's unbeaten 31 the top score on a miserable card as Australia completed a 111-run victory.

Skipper Andrew Strauss was unfortunate to be given out from the second ball of the innings, but thereafter it was an all-too familiar meltdown from a batting line-up that has now failed five times out of six in the series.

Strauss' opposite number Ricky Ponting rolled back the years with two direct hits to run out Ravi Bopara and Matt Prior as England slumped from 45-1 to 60-4.

Eoin Morgan and Owais Shah briefly resisted with a 40-run stand for the fifth wicket but fell in quick succession and the tail - Bresnan's efforts apart - folded soon enough.

Australia have the chance to complete a perfect NatWest Series campaign in Durham on Sunday.