England were 164 for two but crumbled to 247 all out before Ricky Ponting's 86 helped the world champions overhaul their score with 16 balls remaining.

Vaughan's men must now win their three remaining second stage games against Bangladesh, South Africa and hosts West Indies to have a good chance of progressing to the last four.

"It's very frustrating. I'll go back to the hotel tonight knowing that we were in a great position to put Australia under a huge amount of pressure if we had got the 280, 290," Vaughan told a news conference.

"On that kind of wicket I really believe that would have been a real competitive total. When you get 247 you know you've still got a chance but you need a little bit of the rub of the green, you need to get their key players out early.

"When Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke get in it is very difficult to restrict them on that kind of pitch."

FIRST CENTURY

Kevin Pietersen hit England's first century of the competition, something Vaughan had been calling for, but the top rated one-day batsman seemed to slow his pace to make sure of the hundred rather than hit out late on to boost the total.

"I think the wickets were falling, he wanted to try and be there at the end, he wanted to get the hundred. His innings was fantastic and a pleasure to watch," Vaughan said in his defence.

Pietersen was also involved in a controversial incident in the field, when he caught Andrew Symonds on the boundary before taking a number of steps to avoid falling over the ropes and then throwing the ball away.

Vaughan appealed to the umpires that Pietersen had been in control of the ball but Symonds was given not out.

"It was a difficult one. Being honest he had no control of his legs so it was a never an option. We were clutching a bit then to be honest," Vaughan said.

The captain was out for another low score when he dragged Shaun Tait on to his stumps for five while Andrew Flintoff made four as he also continued his poor form with the bat.

"I've got no runs again. Freddy (Flintoff) will be the first to admit that he is probably struggling a bit, as I am," he added.

The seven-week World Cup culminates in the April 28 final in Barbados.