The victory was emphatic if not humiliating but captain Michael Vaughan's resilience in the face of another ignominious Ashes defeat against Australia remained the one bright spot on an otherwise dull, overcast day.

England could - he did not say would - bounce back after slumping to a 239-run defeat at Lord's.

Despite optimistic preseries expectations, England suffered yet another heavy defeat to their oldest rivals after losing five wickets in 47 balls during the rain-hit fourth day.

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They were dismissed for a lowly 180 with man-ofthematch Glenn McGrath taking four wickets for three runs in 23 deliveries.

But Vaughan, as a skipper must, voiced optimism about his side's chances of regaining the Ashes for the first time since 1986-87.

Vaughan said: "We've just lost to Australia and we're 1-0 down, but we've lifted ourselves in the past and we've played some good cricket over the last two years.

"You don't just suddenly become a bad team - a team low in confidence - just because you've lost one game of cricket. We're only 1-0 down and there are another four to play."

It stirred echoes of his predecessor Nasser Hussain but the skipper must stay buoyant when the team's spirits sink and Vaughan stuck to the mantra he expounded before play started at Lord's last week.

He said: "I think there's a real opportunity to go out there and play some good cricket against them.

"Australia will realise that during the first two days we put them under a lot of pressure and they certainly knew they were in a contest, but on Saturday and today we weren't good enough and we didn't handle the pressure as well as they did."

England resumed overnight trailing by 263 runs on 156 for five but, despite the rain delaying the start until

3.45pm, they capitulated with Australia taking only 10.1 overs to complete another emphatic win at Lord's where they are unbeaten since 1934.

Vaughan said: "Australia are a good side and they've proved that and the one thing you can't give a good side is a second chance.

"They've a good knack of taking the game away from you fast when you give them opportunities and that's what we did.

"We're not happy with the result. I thought we started the game well, putting Australia under pressure, and to bowl them out for 190 we were really in the game and we fancied our chances.

"It was the type of game where you really had to take the game by the scruff of the neck and at 100-odd for three we had an opportunity to take it and we didn't take that and that was probably the story of their second innings.

" We created enough chances to maybe chase down 250 or 270 and that would have been more of a reachable target."

England's man of the match, Kevin Pietersen, shared his captain's confidence, saying England could level the series at Edgbaston a week on Thursday.

The South African-born debutant was his side's top scorer in both innings with innings of 57 and 64 not out.

He said: "It is disappointing we didn't put up a bigger fight but we can take positives. Steve Harmison bowled well and I batted OK.

"It has been a good start by me personally but I am not as happy as I could have been."

Pietersen spoiled his own performance by dropping three catches in the match and he said the whole team needed to improve when the two sides meet again in less than a fortnight. He said: "Catches win matches and I was at fault three times in the game but we've had a chat about it and when the going gets tough we have to stick to our guns and concentrate on one ball at a time.

"We know what we need to do to get it right and square the series in Birmingham."

The former Nottinghamshire player also denied some inflammatory comments about the Australians by England players prior to the first Test had only served to fire up the tourists.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting hailed the contribution of veteran bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne for the tourists' victory.

Ponting said: "They are two of the all-time greats of the game - with 1,100 wickets between them. What more can you say?

"Shane bowled as well as I've seen him - in total control. And Glenn's spell in the first innings was the turning point of the game."

Victory maintained an impressive run for Australia at Lord's, with Ponting adding: "It was a good place for us to start the campaign and we've played good cricket here. I couldn't be happier.

"In some of the matches on the tour I was concerned but the mood changed at the end of the one-day games."

McGrath took his 500th wicket on the first day of the Test and finished the match with figures of nine for 82.

The 35-year-old, who is reportedly in talks with Worcestershire about a return to New Road, stood by his claim prior to the start by suggesting Australia were capable of a 5-0 series whitewash.

He said: "I still back us the whole way but Steve Harmison is a quality bowler - there's no doubt - and Kevin Pietersen has a good plan.

"We'll have to go back to the drawing board with him. If we bat and bowl as well as we can we'll be hard to beat."