England sensationally bowled Australia out for 79 at the Rose Bowl to win the first Twenty20 game between the countries by 100 runs.

For all the talk by the two captains of this being a "fun" game, such a humiliating defeat is bound to rankle with this proud Australian side and hints that England have the self-belief to challenge them all summer.

Australia had been 65-7 after 10 overs and added only 12 runs for the last three wickets. They had lost 10 wickets for 56 runs after being 23-0. Most of the damage was done by Jon Lewis (4-24) and Darren Gough, who grabbed three wickets.

The last three wickets fell quickly. Jason Gillespie struck 24 from 18 balls but was then caught in the deep off the bowling of Paul Collingwood to make it 67-8 in the 11th over.

Andrew Flintoff bounced Brett Lee nastily, having received some of the same treatment himself from the Australian fast bowler, striking him blows on the shoulder and grille. Lee will no doubt be retaliating in the not too distant future.

But Flintoff had shaken Lee (15) up and the fast bowler lost his wicket in the next over striking Collingwood high to Harmison at deep mid on, to make it 72-9.

Australia had lost five wickets for one run after reaching 23-0, to be 65-7 after 10 overs.

Jon Lewis on debut grabbed four wickets and Darren Gough three as a rattled Australia were unable to stem the fall of wickets chasing England's formidable total of 179-8.

The opening overs gave little hint of the drama to come as Australia began strongly and confidently. In the first over Adam Gilchrist cut Darren Gough for four then top-edged a second boundary to third man. Then Matthew Hayden bludgeoned Lewis's first ball in international cricket down the ground for four before Gilchrist slogged him through mid wicket as Australia reached 18-0 from two overs.

But the strong start rapidly evaporated as a spirited England tore into an Australian line-up unused to the rapid fall of wickets as five batsmen fell for only one run.

First the new, slim-line Gough, pumped up to be facing the old enemy, grabbed two wickers in two balls. Gilchrist slogged the ball high into the air and was caught by Kevin Pietersen at mid wicket for 15 off 14 balls. Then Hayden (6) advanced down the pitch and skied the ball high off his bat to Pietersen, who back-peddled at mid wicket to take a fine catch. Australia were 23-2, with Gough on a hatrick. His surprise bouncer struck Andrew Symonds on the body but was not out.

Then, off the first ball of the next over, Michael Clarke became the third wicket in four balls, adjudged to have edged Lewis to Geraint Jones, standing up, but was probably unlucky.

Australia's innings was already in shreds, and the next wicket came later in the same Lewis over when Andrew Symonds drove to Pietersen at mid wicket, who picked up his third catch. Australia had lost four wickets in two overs and were 24-4.

In Gough's next over, the fifth wicket fell when Mike Hussey edged an outswinger to Andrew Flintoff at first slip, and Australia were 24-5. Damien Martyn then calmly chipped Gough over the slips for four and Australia were 28-5.

But the incredible collapse continued as Lewis grabbed his third and fourth wickets in international cricket. First Ricky Ponting fell for a duck driving straight to Vikram Solanki at cover, then Martyn cut the ball to Trescothick at slip and Australia were 31-7 in just the sixth over.

Jason Gillespie tried to bring respectability to Australia's total, driving four off Lewis through mid wicket, and hooking Steve Harmison magnificently to square leg.

A brilliant innings of 46 from 26 balls by Paul Collingwood helped England reach the highest total in Twenty20 at the Rose Bowl, 179-8.

Collingwood began nurdling but then unleashed all his best shots, particularly against Jason Gillespie, whose four overs cost 49 runs.

Before the end-of-innings fireworks, it had looked like Australia were fighting back into the game. They had been under the cosh with England reaching 93-2 at the mid-point, but then took three quick wickets as the spinners put the brakes on.

Kevin Pietersen fell for an explosive 34 off 18 balls, mistiming the spin of Michael Clarke to Matthew Hayden at deep cover, to make it 100-3 after the 11th over.

Michael Vaughan then fell to his first ball in Twenty20 cricket, in the12th over, chipping the off-spin of Andrew Symonds to his opposing captain Ricky Ponting at mid on. The introduction of spin at both ends had slowed the run rate as England reached 105-4 from 12 overs, then 109-4 from 13 overs.

Then Trescothick's (41) pull shot off the first ball from Symonds' second over flew straight to Mike Hussey at deep mid wicket, and England were 109-5. Only two runs came from the over.

Collingwood had nudged the ball around for a few overs, but when the ball was in the slot he slog-swept Clarke for six, as 13 came from the 15th over and England reached 124-5.

Collingwood was starting to find his best form and drove Symonds through extra-cover for four as England reached 132-5 off 16 overs.

Clarke had begun to be expensive and Ponting brought Gillespie back into the attack, but it proved a fatal mistake. Strauss cheekily strode outside off, and chipped the ball off middle stump down to fine leg for four.

Then Collingwood struck Gillespie from the last two balls for a four to square leg and then a six over mid wicket as 17 came from the over and England reached 149-5 from 17 overs.

Glenn McGrath came back on for the 18th over, which cost eight runs as England continued their momentum, but then Gillespie bowled Strauss off an inside edge for 18 off 16 deliveries, to make it 158-6.

But Collingwood continued to bat superbly, driving Gillespie's fifth ball down the ground, then clipping him through square leg for another boundary, as England reached 167-6 from 19 overs.

In the last over, Solanki backed away to leg and carved McGrath through extra cover for four, before chipping two to the legside. Solanki (9) then fell to a marvellous catch to Mike Hussey, diving full length at deep cover.

But the batsmen had crossed and Collingwood then drove the fifth ball through cover for four, before falling for 46 off 26 balls, caught by Ponting in the deep on the legside.

England had made a strong start, moving to 93-2 from the first 10 overs, with Pietersen providing the fireworks, before a flurry of wickets to the spinners.

Pietersen had moved to 33 from 16 balls after 10 overs and was being ably supported by Trescothick (30*).

It was a spirited contest from the word go. There were no looseners in the first over of the Ashes summer, as Brett Lee worked up a pace around 93mph and troubled both England openers.

The first delivery from Lee was a nasty rising ball to Marcus Trescothick, which forced the batsman to sway out of the way and the fifth ball was a big legcutter to Geraint Jones that beat the bat comfortably.

But the opening over also included a no ball, giving Jones a free hit off the next ball, which he skied high into the air before coming through for two runs.

Glenn McGrath's opening over was accurate and England managed just two singles, to move to 6-0 after two overs.

Then Trescothick struck the first boundary of the innings, cutting Lee backward of point off the first ball of the third over. Later in the over Jones flicked a 94 mph delivery through mid wicket for another boundary, before smacking venomously the next ball straight past Lee's head for another four. England took 14 off the over and were 20-0 after three overs.

Jones continued to bat aggressively, pulling McGrath for four in the fourth over, then next ball, smashing him through mid wicket for another boundary. But Jones was out two balls later, slicing McGrath to deep point, where Michael Kasprowicz took the catch, to dismiss him for 19 from 14 balls and bring Andrew Flintoff in to bat at three.

Lee bowled another no ball in the fifth over, giving a free hit to Trescothick which he despatched skilfully over cover for four. Lee tried to pitch the ball short repeatedly against Flintoff, but one bouncer was adjudged a wide. By the end of the fifth over England had made a strong start, reaching 43-1.

Kasprowicz replaced McGrath for the sixth over and was crunched through cover with a flat bat by Trescothick for four, but then Flintoff fell for six off five balls, advancing down the pitch and driving to Andrew Symonds at mid wicket. England were 50-2 after six overs as the fielding restrictions ended.

Lee was replaced by Jason Gillespie for the seventh over in which a terrible Michael Clarke misfield at deep cover presented Kevin Pietersen with a boundary from his sliced square drive.

Pietersen drove Kasprowicz straight down the ground for a second four, then another drive to mid off presented him with two from a second misfield, this time by Damien Martyn. England were 68-2 from eight overs.

A wonderful cover drive from Trescothick brought him four from Gillespie, his nemesis in Test matches and he continued to nudge singles down to third man, anchoring the innings. Pietersen then struck a huge straight six off Gillespie as 14 came from the over.

Pietersen then powered Kasprowicz straight down the ground for another four in the 10th over.

England: MP Vaughan (capt), ME Trescothick, GO Jones, AJ Strauss, A Flintoff, KP Pietersen, PD Collingwood, VS Solanki, J Lewis, D Gough, SJ Harmison.

Australia: RT Ponting (capt), AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, A Symonds, MJ Clarke, MEK Hussey, DR Martyn, B Lee, JN Gillespie, MS Kasprowicz, GD McGrath.

13 Jun, 2005