Lethal Lee grabs five

Fast bowler Brett Lee took five wickets, including three in seven balls late in the innings, to help Australia beat India by 18 runs in a free-scoring tri-series ODI on Sunday.

Led by captain Ricky Ponting's 124 runs, Australia scored 317-7 after winning the toss and batting first. India poured on the run chase at the end achieving the highest score by a team batting second in a one-day match at the Sydney Cricket Ground but couldn't overcome the Australian total thanks to Lee's late wicket burst, and was out for 299 in the last over.

It was touch and go for a while, but a win's a win said Lee, who finished with 5-58. India lost its last three wickets for nine runs.

Gautam Gambhir scored 113 for India and Robin Uthappa added 51. India plays Sri Lanka on Tuesday at Hobart, with an India win advancing it to the best-of-three finals against Australia beginning next Sunday, also at Sydney.

Ponting, ending a batting slump, picked up his 26th ODI century, with only Sachin Tendulkar (41) having registered more one-day international hundreds.

The 33-year-old Ponting celebrated by raising his bat and exuberantly punching the air in the direction of the Australian change rooms.

In six innings this series before Sunday's match, Ponting had only scored 64 runs at 10.66, and scored moderately in the preceding Test series.

Andrew Symonds scored 59 off 49 balls to end his lean form, and Matthew Hayden (54 off 62 balls) reached a half century before being run out, as the home side's batsmen clicked into gear.