CAPTAIN Kevin Pietersen has shrugged off England's humiliation after this morning's embarrassing 124-run defeat by a Mumbai XI.

Ahead of the seven-match, one-day series which starts in Rajkot on Friday, England were dismissed by a team of club professionals for just 98 in reply to Mumbai's 222-7.

It followed a similarly desperate batting display in the Stanford showdown in Antigua, when they were dismissed for 99, and prompted the squad to go through an unscheduled net session after the match finished.

But Pietersen insists nothing should be read into England's display, claiming: “I think the guys are all right, we just need to turn our heads on now and make sure we start on Friday.

“Today and what happened the other day doesn't really count in the grand scheme of things. What counts are the internationals.

“This really doesn't matter, but it has taught us a few quick lessons.”

Today's display was in stark contrast to England's 122-run victory over a Mumbai Cricket Association side on Sunday and perhaps highlights the scale of the task ahead of them as they attempt to win their first one-day series in India since 1983-4.

Pietersen remains confident his side will improve when the stakes are higher, and added: "The opposition wasn't spectacular the other day and it was better today so we've just got to turn our games on and get our heads right.

“The boys had a long journey to India and we've settled in nicely now so it's just a case of getting our heads on.

“I'm not sure if we were fully focused but this is a really good lesson, I don't see this is a bad thing at all.

“It's just a case of learning from today and at the end of the tour no one really remembers what happened today or the other day, what counts is what happens on Friday.”

England never recovered from losing their first five batsmen inside the opening 12 overs - with seamer Khsemal Waingankar, who has played only one first-class match, claiming five wickets.

England restricted Mumbai to a modest total, after deciding to bowl first, with Samit Patel and Steve Harmison claiming two wickets each.

It took a determined 65 from left-hander Sushant Marathe and a quickfire 37 off 35 balls, which included three sixes and a four, from Shaoib Shaikh to guide Mumbai even to that respectable total.

But England's brittle batting was exposed against the new ball. Ian Bell had looked in good touch scoring 58 on Sunday but lasted just two overs today.

Facing seamer Kshemal Waingankar, Bell hung his bat outside off-stump almost in practice at a cut shot - apparently believing the wide delivery would pass harmlessly to the wicketkeeper but instead edging the ball behind.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior suffered his second successive failure of the tour in the next over when he was given lbw to seamer Rajesh Verma, from a delivery which kept low.

Waingankar claimed his second victim in his next over and took the key wicket of Kevin Pietersen, who advanced down the wicket trying to whip the ball through mid-wicket but was hit on the pad - and the umpire upheld the appeal.

Patel, promoted to number five to give him batting practice, was fortunate to survive another lbw appeal two balls later as he and Paul Collingwood tried to rescue the innings.

Their partnership lasted only five overs, however, Collingwood advancing down the wicket to Verma and driving straight to mid-on to leave England's innings in disarray.

Patel lasted a further three overs before also falling, this time edging Waingankar to second slip.

Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff lasted just one over before edging behind, and Ravi Bopara fell in similar circumstances - while Luke Wright gave Waingankar his fifth victim when he played on, pushing forward defensively.

Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan will join the England Performance Squad in India this month as he bids to find some form ahead of the tour of the West Indies and the Ashes next year.

Mumbai President's XI v England

Mumbai President's XI
Waghela c Swann b Anderson 4
Valthathy c Patel b Swann 44
Marathe c Prior b S J Harmison 65
Khanvilkar c & b Patel 0
Bagade c Flintoff b Patel 25
Mota lbw b Collingwood 0
Shaikh c Collingwood b S J Harmison 37
Salunkhe not out 19
Shaikh not out 14
Extras (lb5 w8 nb1 pens 0) 14
TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 222
FOW: 1-9  2-90  3-94  4-137  5-138  6-166  7-201
Did Not Bat: A M Salvi, R P Verma, Rahil Shaikh, K Waingankar.
Bowling: Anderson 8-2-35-1, S J Harmison 10-1-38-2, Flintoff 7-0-21-0, Swann 8-0-32-1, Patel 9-0-50-2, Pietersen 4-0-19-0, Collingwood 4-0-22-1.

England
Bell c S Shaikh b Waingankar 6
Prior lbw b Verma 3
Pietersen b Waingankar 0
Collingwood c Shaikh b Verma 8
Patel c Khanvilkar b Waingankar 13
Bopara b Waingankar 9
Flintoff c Shaikh b Shoaib Shaikh 5
Wright b Waingankar 1
Swann not out 24
Harmison c Valthathy b Shaikh 4
Anderson c S Shaikh b Shaikh 20
Extras (b1 w4 pens 0)5  
TOTAL (25 overs) 98
FOW: 1-7  2-10  3-10  4-29  5-33  6-38  7-46  8-55  9-64
Bowling: Verma 6-1-12-2, Waingankar 8-1-37-5, Rahil Shaikh 7-0-35-3, Salvi 4-0-13-0

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