| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Centurion: Shane Watson unbeaten 136 (132b, 10x4, 7x6) and captain Ricky Ponting not out 111 (115b, 12x4, 1x6) smashed elegant centuries as Australia trampled England by nine wickets to storm into the final of the Champions Trophy at the SuperSport Park on Friday.
Their sublime unbeaten knocks produced a stunning record 252-run second-wicket partnership for Australia as the defending champions continued to torment England.
Chasing 258 to win the first semi-final and earn their second shot at the title, Australia crushed the target with 8.1 overs to spare.
En route to his 28th ODI hundred, Ponting became the first Australian batsman to touch the 12,000 run-mark when he pulled Graham Onions for a four in the 29th over.
Ponting and Watson, who outscored his skipper with his third ODI hundred, put on an amazing batting display to outwit their rivals yet again.
With this win Australia have now humbled England seven times in the last eight meetings. The world champions had landed in South Africa just a few days after drubbing the British side 6-1 in the post-Ashes ODI series.
Earlier, Tim Bresnan smashed a career best 80 to help England recover from a calamitous start and reach a fighting 257 in 47.4 overs after opting to bat.
Bresnan, who replaced Stuart Broad in the match, raised a crucial 107-run stand in company of Luke Wright (48) to lift England from a precarious 101 for 6 in 21st over.
Ponting arrived early on the scene as stumper Tim Paine, who had an outstanding day behind the wickets with five catches and a share in two runs outs, failed with bat.
Ponting was in sublime touch as he drove elegantly all around the park, hitting 12 graceful boundaries and a six in his 115-ball knock.
Watson shrugged off a poor start in the event and struck form when it mattered. His 132-ball aggressive innings was laced with 10 fours and seven powerful sixes.
At the start, England innings was in tatters having lost six wickets without reaching the half-way mark but Bresnan and Wright batted with steely resolve to extricate their team from the crisis situation.
Bresnan dug in with Wright to redeem the England innings with some clever batting under pressure.
From a depressing 101/6 in 20.2 overs, England went on to put up at least a fighting total.
Bresnan's splendid knock, adorned with 11 boundaries, came off just 76 balls while Wright helped himself with two boundaries and two massive sixes both coming off tweaker Nathan Hauritz.
Peter Siddle, ICC emerging player of the year, separated the pair when he had Wight caught behind but there was no let up in England's assault as Bresnan in company of Graeme Swann (18) continued the good work.
Siddle (3 for 55) was the most successful bowler while Lee (2 for 46) and Shane Watson (2 for 35) took two wickets apiece.
Shane Watson declared man of the match for his all-round performance (2-55 and 136*).
Brief score
England: 257 (Bresnan 80, Wright 48, Siddle 3-55)
Australia: 259 for 1 (Ponting 111*, Watson 136*)
Result: Australia beat England by 9-wickets
Man of the match: Shane Watson (Australia)
