During the World Cup Super Eight battle between the Ashes rivals, English middle order batsman Kevin Pietersen [ Images ] and Australian captain Ricky Ponting [ Images ] were engaged in a war of words, according to media reports in Melbourne [ Images ].

Heat grew as both teams struggled to deal with the pressures of a key World Cup match which eventually saw Australia [ Images ] winning by seven wickets in Antigua on Sunday.

Pietersen's first verbal duel was with Australia captain Ricky Ponting after the maverick England [ Images ] batsman, who struck a rather sedate ton in the match, continued with his tactic of charging McGrath.

Pietersen came dancing down the track to slap McGrath to the mid-wicket boundary and again charged down attempting a pull in the 12th over.

Pietersen's audacious shots irked Ponting and soon the pair was spotted arguing mid-pitch and continued even when the batsman stood waiting for the next over to begin at the non-striker's end, The Australian reported.

Ponting was further exasperated when he grassed a difficult one-handed chance at mid-wicket off Pietersen when the batsman had just reached 50.

Pietersen got another life on 63 when Matthew Hayden [ Images ], running around from mid-off, dropped an easy chance to allow the batsman make his maiden one-day century against Australia, and first of the World Cup.

Ponting later offered a begrudging praise of Pietersen's knock.

"He played a different innings today and at various times he didn't get the support he needed. But I was still a little surprised he did not step things up a bit earlier," Ponting said.

"He might have been a bit physically tired but he is a very good player in both forms of the game," he added.

Tension mounted again when Andrew Symonds [ Images ] blasted a Paul Collingwood [ Images ] delivery to deep mid-wicket and was caught by Pietersen, who could not balance himself and trod on the boundary rope.

Umpires Rudi Koertzen [ Images ] and Billy Bowden allowed the batsman to stay and though England fielders were evidently unhappy with the decision, skipper Michael Vaughan [ Images ] later called it a fair decision.

"It was a difficult one, but, being honest, he had no control of his waist. We were clutching a bit there," Vaughan said.