Steve Harmison took a career-best five-wicket haul and Kevin Pietersen blasted 91 not out as World champions Australia crashed to a second consecutive triangular series one-day defeat to England at Bristol on Sunday.

The Australians, whose reverse against Bangladesh in their opening match on Saturday was one of the greatest upsets in cricket history, produced a much-improved display but lost out by three wickets as Pietersen's extraordinary knock sealed the win with 15 balls to spare.

The South-African born Pietersen hammered his runs off 65 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. His last 52 runs came off 23 deliveries.

Harmison seemed to have set up victory with five for 33 as Australia were restricted to 252 for nine after opting to bat at Bristol's County Ground but Glenn McGrath then led the fightback, taking two early wickets and strangling the England top-order.

England needed seven an over off the last 15 to win and 76 runs off the last 10 as the wickets continued to tumble but Pietersen, in his first one-day innings against the world champions, and Vikram Solanki rattled through several gears to put on 54 for the seventh wicket in just five overs.

Pietersen then hit 17 off the 46th over from Jason Gillespie to make certain of victory.

Scorecard

Australia:
A. Gilchrist c G. Jones b Harmison 26
M. Hayden c Collingwood b Harmison 31
R. Ponting lbw b Harmison 0
D. Martyn c Pietersen b Harmison 0
M. Clarke b Lewis 45
M. Hussey b Harmison 84
S. Watson b Flintoff 25
B. Hogg not out 10
J. Gillespie c G. Jones b Flintoff 14
M. Kasprowicz b Gough 1
G. McGrath not out 0
Extras: (lb-6 nb-4 w-6) 16
Total: (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 252

Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-57, 3-57, 4-63, 5-168, 6-220, 7-220, 8-244, 9-248.

Bowling: Gough 10 - 0 - 47 - 1 (nb-3), Lewis 10 - 0 - 69 - 1 (nb-1), Harmison 10 - 0 - 33 - 5 (w-2), Flintoff 10 - 1 - 39 - 2 (w-4), Collingwood 2 - 0 - 11 - 0, Vaughan 6 - 0 - 33 - 0, Solanki 2 - 0 - 14 - 0.

England:
M Trescothick b McGrath 16
A Strauss b McGrath 16
M Vaughan lbw Hogg 57
P Collingwood b Kasprowicz 14
A Flintoff c Kasprowicz b Hogg 19
K Pietersen not out 91
G Jones c Martyn b Hogg 2
V Solanki run out (Gilchrist) 13
J Lewis not out 7
Extras: (lb 1, w 7, nb 10) 18
Total: (7 wickets, 47.3 overs) 253

Did not bat: D Gough, SJ Harmison.

Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-42, 3-82, 4-119, 5-150, 6-160, 7-214.

Bowling: McGrath 9-1-34-2 (3nb, 1w), Gillespie 10-1-66-0 (1nb, 5w), Kasprowicz 9-0-68-1 (6nb), Watson 9.3-0-42-0, Hogg 10-1-42-3 (1w).