Andy Bichel ended with seven for 20 (Getty Images).

By Richard Gibson, PA Sport, Port Elizabeth

Click here for final scorecard

England's failure to find the killer instinct required to succeed at international level proved costly once again with Australia completing a two-wicket victory with two balls to spare in their crunch World Cup showdown at St George's Park.

Chasing England's modest total of 204 for eight, Australia looked on course for their first one-day defeat against their oldest rivals in more than four years when they slipped to 135 for eight with 12 overs remaining.

But an unbroken 73-run partnership between Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel off only 74 balls allowed Australia to leave England's World Cup future uncertain.

It leaves England with an anxious 48 hours to wait and hope Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in the final Pool A fixture on Tuesday and also pray Waqar Younis' side are not able to eclipse their net run-rate and take the third qualifying place.

Having suffered by their inability to finish off the world champions in the second final of the triangular series at Melbourne in January, Nasser Hussain's men lost their composure at the vital moment again and allowed Australia to escape.

Hussain, for once, was perhaps partly responsible having entrusted youngster James Anderson with the crucial penultimate over with the world champions needing 14 for victory instead of giving the ball to the vastly experienced Andrew Caddick.

It was an error England lived to regret with Bichel pulling his second ball for a six and driving the next for a four to leave Australia's last wicket pair with a relatively comfortable final over.

Until that final partnership England seemed certain to end a run of 13 successive one-day defeats against Australia, a run stretching back to January 17 1999 and spanning four different England one-day captains.

They had demonstrated impressive resolve and determination to recover from a perilous 87 for five to post a respectable total - and then reduce the world's best batting line-up to 48 for four in reply.

But Darren Lehmann and Bevan rebuilt their innings, forging a 73-run stand spanning 22 overs until Craig White struck to dismiss brother-in-law Lehmann (37), who was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Alec Stewart.

Bichel shone with the ball, taking seven for 20, the second best figures in World Cup history - second only to Glenn McGrath's return of seven for 15 against Namibia on Thursday.

And the former Worcestershire man's batting prowess, which had already been displayed earlier this summer when he scored 48 during the second Ashes Test, was to haunt them once again.

Bichel, who only retained his place in the world champions' line-up after Jason Gillespie failing a fitness test on his injured Achilles tendon, finished unbeaten on 34 from only 36 balls while Bevan underlined his rating as the world's best one-day batsman with a brilliantly-crafted 74.

Man-of-the-match Bichel had earlier more than proved his worth by plunging England into trouble with four wickets, before returning to halt a productive 90-run sixth wicket stand between Stewart and Andrew Flintoff.

Ironically Bichel's display followed England's best start of the tournament with Nick Knight and Marcus Trescothick forging a 66-run partnership off only 62 balls by adopting an aggressive policy against new ball pair Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.

Lee conceded 33 runs in his first four overs despite bowling several deliveries at around 100mph, before Australia turned to Bichel, who struck with his fifth delivery.

Knight, playing his 100th one-day international, attempted to steer Bichel down to third man but picked out Damien Martyn in the gully.

The same bowler broke through again in his next over when Michael Vaughan edged behind to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and three balls later Bichel added Hussain's scalp to his collection, bowling him with a full length inswinger.

Just as England seemed set for complete capitulation, Stewart and Flintoff combined in a crucial sixth wicket stand which rebuilt the innings and gave their side the platform to launch a late offensive.

That objective was denied them, though, after Bichel returned and dismissed both in successive overs, Flintoff falling for a determined 45 after he top edged an attempted slog to Gilchrist.

Australia fared little better when they made their reply with Caddick claiming their top four batsmen inside the first seven overs as part of an inspired eight-over new ball spell of four for 29.

England, though, were unable to build on that early success and were frustrated for a further 22 overs before White struck to end Lehmann's telling contribution.

Although left-arm spinner Ashley Giles claimed two quick wickets, Hussain was left searching for his first one-day win of a long winter campaign against any Australian opposition.